text string | url string | crawl_date timestamp[ms] | label int64 | id string |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Local officials in Greater Portland are considering a system of rapid transit bus routes for the region.
Under a draft proposal from the Greater Portland Council of Governments, dedicated bus lanes would provide express service through Portland, Westbrook and Gorham more quickly than traditional bus service, with stops along the way.
The preferred route would start at the University of Southern Maine campus in Gorham, travel through downtown Westbrook and stop at the USM campus in Portland before heading down Congress Street and ending near the Eastern Promenade.
The proposal envisions service every 10 minutes between Portland and Westbrook, and 20 minutes between Westbrook and Gorham.
"That's frequent enough that you're not relying on a schedule anymore," said Andrew Clark, transit program manager for GPCOG. "You're no longer planning your day around the bus schedule. You just know you can go out to the station, and the bus will be there in 10 minutes or something like that."
Clark said service every 10-20 minutes should also lure riders who wouldn't normally consider taking public transit.
"I think people understand the role that transit can play in making our cities better, its role in reducing congestion, its role in better climate outcomes, better social equity outcomes," he said.
Greater Portland Metro would operate the proposed route, but the vehicles and stops would have a different look than the service's existing buses, Clark added.
The proposed routes are still a long way away, Clark said. The cities of Portland, Westbrook and Gorham will need to decide how much road space can be freed up for dedicated bus lanes. The project will also need to secure federal funds for the new bus lanes and some new battery-powered vehicles.
Local officials also eventually envision rapid transit routes to South Portland, Biddeford and Saco, Brunswick and Windham.
GPCOG will host a virtual community meeting to gather more public feedback about the proposal on Thursday, Aug. 3. | https://www.mainepublic.org/business-and-economy/2023-07-28/rapid-transit-plan-calls-for-10-20-minute-service-through-portland-westbrook-and-gorham | 2023-07-28T22:37:12 | 1 | https://www.mainepublic.org/business-and-economy/2023-07-28/rapid-transit-plan-calls-for-10-20-minute-service-through-portland-westbrook-and-gorham |
Topeka man receives 683-month prison sentence for daughter’s murder
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay announced the murder sentencing of a Topeka man Friday.
The Court imposed Jeffrey James Exon the maximum sentence of 683 months with the Kansas Secretary of Corrections in relation to the death of his daughter.
On January 5, 2021, law enforcement responded to a call at approximately 10:00 AM regarding an unresponsive child.
Upon arrival, authorities and first responders found Exon’s 2-year-old daughter unresponsive, cold to the touch, with an appearance that she had been deceased for several days. An autopsy concluded she had died from malnutrition. The investigation revealed that Exon suffered from addiction issues and would spend days without feeding or attending to his children.
During the trial, Exon’s 6-year-old son, who was four at the time of his sister’s death, testified that his dad locked them in their rooms for several days without food while he “slept.”
Exon was charged with the following crimes:
- 1st Degree Murder, Committed During an Inherently Dangerous Felony (Off-Grid Felony)
- 2nd Degree Murder (Level 8 Felony)
- Aggravated Endangering a Child (Level 9 Felony)
- Failure to Report the Death of a Child (Level 8 Felony)All of the charged crimes occurred between December 26, 2020, when his daughter was last seen alive, and January 5, 2021, when law enforcement was called and found her deceased.
In April of this year, after a 6-day trial, a Shawnee County jury convicted Exon of all charged crimes.
Kagay commended the work of Deputy District Attorneys Lauren Amrein and Bethany Lee for their work in prosecuting this case and the Topeka Police Department for their work in the investigation.
Copyright 2023 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2023/07/28/topeka-man-receives-683-month-prison-sentence-murder-his-daughter/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:16 | 1 | https://www.wibw.com/2023/07/28/topeka-man-receives-683-month-prison-sentence-murder-his-daughter/ |
‘Horrible conditions’: Nearly 30 dogs found dead in freezers; dog rescue owner charged
HAMILTON, Ohio (Gray News) - The owner of a dog rescue in Ohio is facing multiple charges after deputies found animals in unlivable conditions.
Authorities said deputy dog wardens were called to two properties in Butler County regarding a complaint this week.
The team found at least 30 deceased dogs on the properties along with about 90 living animals in “the most horrible conditions they have ever seen.”
According to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Rhonda Murphy, the owner of the properties, was operating a rescue under the name Helping Hands for Furry Paws.
When deputies and investigators searched the structures, multiple dogs’ bodies were found in refrigerators and freezers, with some of the coolers not working.
Other deceased canines were also found on the property, including puppies.
According to investigators, a garage housed about 25 living dogs, but they were kept in cages, some together, with no air conditioning or ventilation in the room. Temperatures were measured to be about 89 degrees inside.
Numerous animals were found without access to food or water, including a mother dog and her eight puppies.
Deputies said the odor was so strong that it burned their eyes and took away their breath as they checked the property.
Additionally, 11 more dogs were found in the main house living in the same deplorable conditions as others found on the property.
“Conditions were so horrendous that dog wardens had to leave the structure numerous times to catch their breath,” the sheriff’s office said.
All dogs were seized from the properties.
Authorities said Murphy is facing dozens of misdemeanor and felony charges that include neglect and cruelty to animals.
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/28/horrible-conditions-nearly-30-dogs-found-dead-freezers-dog-rescue-owner-charged/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:16 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/28/horrible-conditions-nearly-30-dogs-found-dead-freezers-dog-rescue-owner-charged/ |
2 children hospitalized after 4-wheeler crash
Published: Jul. 28, 2023 at 6:06 PM EDT|Updated: 30 minutes ago
SAGINAW CO., Mich. (WNEM) - Two children have been hospitalized following a four-wheeler crash in St. Charles, with one fighting for their life.
The Saginaw County Sheriff said on Friday, July 28, a 10-year-old girl and 7-year-old boy were injured in a four-wheeler crash on W. Spruce Street.
Neither of the children were wearing helmets.
The boy has life-threatening injuries and is breathing with the assistance of a ventilator, the sheriff said, adding the girl is in good condition.
Stay with TV5 for any developments on this story.
Subscribe to the TV5 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every day.
Copyright 2023 WNEM. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/2-children-hospitalized-after-4-wheeler-crash/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:17 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/2-children-hospitalized-after-4-wheeler-crash/ |
The Bowdoin man accused of killing his parents and two family friends will be held without bail while his case proceeds.
Joseph Eaton appeared in Sagadahoc County Superior Court on Friday and pleaded not guilty and not criminally responsible to all 27 charges against him. He's accused of killing David and Cynthia Eaton and their family friends Patti and Bob Eger in April. Eaton allegedly then stole guns from the Egers' house and drove down Interstate 295 to Yarmouth, where police say he shot at several cars, seriously injuring three people.
Defense attorney Andrew Wright says he's still exploring whether Eaton was sane when he killed his parents. But he says he believes his client is competent to stand trial and understands the proceedings.
He said the state needs to do a better job in addressing the mental health issues of people who are incarcerated before they are released from prison.
"I think there's been a systemic failure of the state of Maine to deal with mental health issues, and that much of it ends up in the criminal justice system because of that failure," he said.
Eaton spoke briefly during his arraignment only to say he understood the charges against him. Behind him and on a Zoom meeting, several family members and friends of the victims watched the proceedings.
Afterward, Peter G. DeRaps, Patti Eger's brother, declined to comment but handed members of the press a written statement, calling Eaton evil and selfish while holding a photo of his sister and Bob Eger.
"We can only hope that justice is served and my heart goes out to all those effected by this needless tragedy," his note read.
Sean Halsey, whose children Justin and Paige were shot by Eaton on the highway, was also in attendance with his family. He told reporters his family is recovering day by day. He said it wasn't the fault of the Egers for having weapons, but the state's for allowing Eaton to be released to a place where he would have access to them. If not for that, he said, the tragedy may not have happened.
"I own my own firearms, we're very strong advocates of the Second Amendment," he said. "And that is just a loophole that probably needs to be looked at." | https://www.mainepublic.org/courts-and-crime/2023-07-28/in-bowdoin-murder-case-defense-attorney-explores-possibility-of-insanity-plea | 2023-07-28T22:37:19 | 1 | https://www.mainepublic.org/courts-and-crime/2023-07-28/in-bowdoin-murder-case-defense-attorney-explores-possibility-of-insanity-plea |
Recession? What recession? The Fed is still cautious, but big brands — Kimberly-Clark, Hilton, Visa, Chipotle, Coca-Cola — are singing praises to shoppers who seem un-swayed by their higher prices.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Recession? What recession? The Fed is still cautious, but big brands — Kimberly-Clark, Hilton, Visa, Chipotle, Coca-Cola — are singing praises to shoppers who seem un-swayed by their higher prices.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wvasfm.org/business/business/2023-07-28/american-companies-report-surprisingly-high-spending-from-shoppers-despite-inflation | 2023-07-28T22:37:22 | 0 | https://www.wvasfm.org/business/business/2023-07-28/american-companies-report-surprisingly-high-spending-from-shoppers-despite-inflation |
Justice Alito says Congress lacks the power to impose an ethics code on the Supreme Court
WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Samuel Alito says Congress lacks the power to impose a code of ethics on the Supreme Court, making him the first member of the court to take a public stand against proposals in Congress to toughen ethics rules for justices in response to increased scrutiny of their activities beyond the bench.
“I know this is a controversial view, but I’m willing to say it. No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court—period,” Alito said in an interview he gave to the Wall Street Journal opinion pages. An account of the interview, which the paper said took place in New York in early July, was published Friday.
Democrats last week pushed Supreme Court ethics legislation through a Senate committee, though the bill’s prospects in the full Senate are dim.
All federal judges other than the justices already adhere to an ethics code that was developed by the federal judiciary. But the Supreme Court’s unique status — it’s the only federal court created by the Constitution — puts it outside the reach of those standards that apply to other federal jurists.
Democrats first sought to address that after ProPublica reported earlier this year that Justice Clarence Thomas participated in lavish vacations and a real estate deal with a top Republican donor — and after Chief Justice John Roberts declined to testify before the committee about the ethics of the court.
Since then, ProPublica also revealed that Alito had taken a luxury vacation in Alaska with a Republican donor who had business interests before the court. The Associated Press reported in early July that Justice Sonia Sotomayor, aided by her staff, has advanced sales of her books through college visits over the past decade.
The 73-year-old Alito, who joined the court in 2006, has rejected the idea that he should have disclosed the Alaska trip or stepped away from cases involving the donor, hedge fund owner Paul Singer. Alito penned his own Wall Street Journal op-ed, which was published hours before ProPublica posted its story.
Alito said that he is unwilling to leave allegations unanswered, though he acknowledged judges and justices typically don’t respond to their critics.
“And so at a certain point I’ve said to myself, nobody else is going to do this, so I have to defend myself,” he said in the newest column.
While no other justice has spoken so definitively about ethics legislation, Roberts has raised questions about Congress’ authority to oversee the high court.
In his year-end report in 2011, Roberts wrote that the justices comply with legislation that requires annual financial disclosures and limits their outside earned income. “The Court has never addressed whether Congress may impose those requirements on the Supreme Court. The Justices nevertheless comply with those provisions,” Roberts wrote.
The justices have so far resisted adopting an ethics code on their own, although Roberts said in May that there is more the court can do to “adhere to the highest standards” of ethical conduct, without providing specifics.
The column is co-written by James Taranto, the paper’s editorial features editor, and David Rivkin, a Washington lawyer. Rivkin represents Leonard Leo, the onetime leader of the conservative legal group The Federalist Society, in his dealings with Senate Democrats who want details of Leo’s dealings with the justices. Leo helped arrange Alito’s trip to Alaska.
Rivkin, in a letter Tuesday to leading Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the request was politically motivated and violates Leo’s constitutional rights. Rivkin also wrote that a congressionally imposed ethics code for the Supreme Court would falter on constitutional grounds. Separately, Rivkin represents a couple whose tax case will be argued before the court in the fall.
Alito talked with the Taranto and Rivkin for four hours in interviews in April and July, they wrote. They published an account of the earlier interview in April.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/28/justice-alito-says-congress-lacks-power-impose-an-ethics-code-supreme-court/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:23 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/28/justice-alito-says-congress-lacks-power-impose-an-ethics-code-supreme-court/ |
Bay Area man fatally stabbed woman and posted video of it on Facebook, police say
SAN MATEO, Calif. (AP) — A man allegedly stabbed a woman to death in the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday and then posted a video of the slaying to Facebook, authorities said.
The footage helped police track down the suspect, who was later identified as 39-year old Mark Mechikoff. He was arrested about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of where the victim was found dead in a San Mateo apartment complex.
“While the motive for stabbing the victim is still under investigation, we do know Mechikoff mercilessly filmed the last moments of the victim’s life and posted the video to Facebook, then fled the area,” San Mateo police said in a statement.
Prosecutors identified the victim as Claribel Estrella. The San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office on Friday charged Mechikoff with a single count of murder with enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury and the use of a knife.
He appeared in court but did not enter a plea. His arraignment was postponed for a week while his court-appointed attorney is chosen, District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe said in an email.
Mechikoff knew the victim but the extent of their relationship was unclear and the motive was under investigation, the district attorney said.
The stabbing was first reported to the Nye County Sheriff’s Office in Nevada when a caller said she saw video of it on Facebook. The sheriff’s office “pinged” the phone number associated with the Facebook page and traced it to a large San Mateo apartment complex.
It was Mechikoff’s cellphone and his Facebook page and the video apparently has been taken down, the district attorney said.
Officers went door-to-door at the San Mateo apartment complex and found Estrella nearly three hours later inside a unit, authorities said.
Mechikoff was arrested two hours later in San Jose.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/bay-area-man-fatally-stabbed-woman-posted-video-it-facebook-police-say/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:23 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/bay-area-man-fatally-stabbed-woman-posted-video-it-facebook-police-say/ |
PROVIDENCE, R.I., July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital Properties, Inc. (OTCQX: CPTP) announced that at its regular quarterly meeting held on July 26, 2023 the Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.07 (seven cents) per share on the Company's outstanding Class A Common Shares (6,599,912) payable on August 25, 2023 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 11, 2023.
About Capital Properties, Inc.
Capital Properties, Inc. and its subsidiary's principal business consist of the long-term leasing of certain of its real estate interests in downtown Providence, Rhode Island for commercial development and the leasing of locations along interstate and primary highways in Rhode Island and Massachusetts for outdoor advertising purposes.
CONTACT:
Susan R. Johnson, Treasurer
401-435-7171
View original content:
SOURCE Capital Properties, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/capital-properties-inc-declares-regular-quarterly-dividend/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:22 | 1 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/capital-properties-inc-declares-regular-quarterly-dividend/ |
Updated July 28, 2023 at 4:05 PM ET
Carlee Russell, the Alabama nursing student who went missing for two days after telling 911 she found a stranded toddler, has been charged with two misdemeanors in connection with the hoax, according to police.
The 25-year-old is being charged with falsely reporting to law enforcement officers and falsely reporting an incident, Hoover Police Chief Nicholas Derzis told reporters Friday at a news conference.
"I know many are shocked and appalled that Miss Russell is only being charged with two misdemeanors, despite all the panic and disruption her actions caused," Derzis said. "Let me assure you, I too share the same frustration." He said the existing laws allow only those charges to be filed.
Each charge carries a bond of $1,000 and is punishable by up to a year in jail and up to a $6,000 fine, Derzis said. Russell was later released from jail after posting bond.
"Her decisions that night created panic and alarm for the citizens of our city and even across the nation as concern grew that a kidnapper was on the loose using a small child as bait," Derzis said. "The story opened wounds for families whose loved ones really were victims of kidnappings, some of which even helped organize searches."
The investigation will now be handled by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall's office.
Derzis told reporters that no charges have been filed against Russell's family members or any other individuals, but he said additional charges may be filed as the attorney general's office continues its investigation.
News of Russell's charges comes days after she admitted she was not kidnapped and did not see a young child stranded on the side of the interstate highway.
In a statement given by Russell's attorney to the Hoover Police Department this week, Russell apologized for her actions — adding that no one else was involved in her disappearance.
"We ask for your prayers for Carlee as she addresses her issues and attempts to move forward understanding that she made a mistake in this matter," Derzis read from the statement at a news conference on Monday afternoon.
Russell had been expected to meet with police earlier that day, but instead her attorney, Emory Anthony, gave the department a written update.
It remains unclear why Russell fabricated a story about a stranded child and why she went off the grid for 49 hours.
She initially told authorities that she was abducted
Russell went missing on July 13 after telling a 911 dispatcher that she found a toddler wandering on the side of an interstate highway, according to the police. When officers arrived on the scene, Russell and the child were nowhere to be found.
Her car, wig and cellphone were found on the roadway.
Russell's disappearance and the mysterious circumstances surrounding it made national headlines before she returned home on July 15.
At the time, Russell told detectives that she was kidnapped by a man who emerged from the trees near her car when she got out to check on the toddler. She told detectives that she was blindfolded and taken to a house where she was forced to get undressed.
Russell said she managed to escape the next day and ran through the woods until she emerged near her house. Derzis told reporters on Monday that the Hoover Police Department had believed since last week that Russell's kidnapping was a hoax.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-28/carlee-russell-is-charged-with-kidnapping-hoax | 2023-07-28T22:37:25 | 1 | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-28/carlee-russell-is-charged-with-kidnapping-hoax |
The 2023 legislative session here in Maine finally wrapped up this week, more than a month later than originally planned.
It was an unusual session in other respects as well, with some notable policy victories for progressives but also tensions, at times, between the Democrats who run the Legislature and Democratic Gov. Janet Mills.
Maine Public State House correspondent Kevin Miller spoke with All Things Considered host Robbie Feinberg about what was accomplished this session, what wasn’t and what it all means. | https://www.mainepublic.org/podcast/maines-political-pulse/2023-07-28/what-the-maine-legislature-accomplished-in-a-session-that-dragged-on-and-on | 2023-07-28T22:37:26 | 0 | https://www.mainepublic.org/podcast/maines-political-pulse/2023-07-28/what-the-maine-legislature-accomplished-in-a-session-that-dragged-on-and-on |
A malfunction in some Ford F-150 pickup trucks could cause drivers to lose control, prompting a recall affecting 870,701 of the automaker's top-selling vehicles.
The recall covers F-150 trucks from 2021 through 2023 with single exhaust systems in which a rear wiring bundle may contact the rear axle housing.
According to documents posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Friday, this contact can cause the truck's wiring to short circuit, which can unintentionally activate the electric parking brake while a person is driving.
Drivers may see the parking brake warning light and a message in their vehicle's dashboard, even if they haven't activated the brake.
SEE MORE: New report lists the most and least recalled vehicles
Ford has received 918 warranty claims and three field reports in North America from August 2021 to July 2023. Of those, 299 reported unintended electric parking brake activation, with 19 happening while driving, though the company said it wasn't aware of any accidents or injuries occurring because of the recall.
Ford said it will start notifying vehicle owners by mail on Sept. 11. Owners will be instructed to take the affected trucks to a dealer to fix the wiring issue free of charge, as long as the remedy is done before Sept. 11 of next year.
The company has issued multiple recalls within the last few months, including for an air bag issue in other F-Series cars and a seat belt issue in some Broncos.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com
- Malört celebrates 90 years: Chicago's bitter liqueur endures
- Secrets to save on back-to-school clothes and other items
- Young boy surprised with special gift from local police officers
----
STAY IN TOUCH WITH US ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
- Download our free app for Roku, FireTV, AppleTV, Alexa, and mobile devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Youtube | https://www.kgun9.com/ford-recalls-more-than-870-000-f-150-vehicles-for-parking-brake-issues | 2023-07-28T22:37:27 | 0 | https://www.kgun9.com/ford-recalls-more-than-870-000-f-150-vehicles-for-parking-brake-issues |
Automakers are teaming up to build more fast charging stations in North America. Their stated goal is to build a network larger than Tesla's to help address a major concern for EV customers.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Automakers are teaming up to build more fast charging stations in North America. Their stated goal is to build a network larger than Tesla's to help address a major concern for EV customers.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wvasfm.org/business/business/2023-07-28/major-automakers-are-teaming-up-to-launch-a-new-ev-charging-network-in-north-america | 2023-07-28T22:37:29 | 0 | https://www.wvasfm.org/business/business/2023-07-28/major-automakers-are-teaming-up-to-launch-a-new-ev-charging-network-in-north-america |
More triple digit heat on the menu with no rain relief in sight for deep east Texas
Weather Where You Live
DEEP EAST TEXAS (KTRE) - The infamous heat dome will continue to keep us hot and dry through this last weekend of July and will look to hold its grip over the deep south through all of next week as well.
This will lead to our daytime highs climbing above the century mark each day for the foreseeable future. In fact, by this weekend and early next week, our highs will be in that 103-105-degree range, which will make it some of the hottest temperatures we have felt to this point all summer long.
It should be noted that our forecast highs should not threaten the daily record highs, but it will still be plenty hot.
The drier air and lower humidity does offer some minor relief, especially in the early evening hours. This is the main reason why no heat advisory products in place, despite the hotter temperatures.
With a slight uptick in humidity levels, though, our heat index values, or feels like temperatures, will likely soar back into that 105-110-degree range in the next few days, which means the re-issuance of heat advisories will likely come down by next week.
Unfortunately, our prospects for rain look bleak going into the near future. This will lead to worsening drought conditions as our soil moisture content becomes more depleted with each passing day and week that we do not receive beneficial and timely rainfall.
To stay on top of the weather conditions in your neighborhood, make sure you download and frequent our KTRE First Alert weather mobile application. It gives you access to our First Alert forecast, severe weather alerts, interactive radar, and featured video updates. It is weather on the go, when you want it, at your convenience, right in the palm of your hand.
Copyright 2023 KTRE. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/28/more-triple-digit-heat-menu-with-no-rain-relief-sight-deep-east-texas/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:29 | 1 | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/28/more-triple-digit-heat-menu-with-no-rain-relief-sight-deep-east-texas/ |
Chris Stapleton surprises girl with a rare backstage meet and greet
(Circle) - Chris Stapleton made a little girl’s dream come true over the weekend.
Stapleton’s 2023 All-American Road Show has kept him on the go, performing night after night, but amongst all the shows, one truly stood out.
At his July 14 concert at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach, Virginia, a heartwarming moment unfolded when a young fan named Lily held up a sign that read, “Will you take a picture with me?”
The simple question seemed to really catch Stapleton’s attention because the girl and her family were escorted backstage after the concert, where they patiently waited for Stapleton and his wife, Morgane, to join them.
In the TikTok video, Morgane asks the young fan if she created the sign. She nods and replies, “Yes,” proudly holding out a guitar pick she had received during the concert before the meet-and-greet.
“Well. We saw your sign, and we said, We’ve gotta do that,” Morgane added.
The fan’s successful meet and greet with Stapleton came as a surprise to many, given his reputation as a private person. He is well-known for his low-key status, rarely participating in interviews, let alone participating in meet and greets.
Stapleton also surprised some fans recently by announcing to the world that he will be releasing his 5th studio album, titled “Higher.”
The upcoming album will mark his first studio release since 2020 when he dropped his fourth studio album, “Starting Over,” which won him a Grammy for Best Country Album.
Originally appeared on Circle All Access. https://www.circleallaccess.com/
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/chris-stapleton-surprises-girl-with-rare-backstage-meet-greet/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:29 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/chris-stapleton-surprises-girl-with-rare-backstage-meet-greet/ |
NEW YORK, July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Official Committee of Talc Claimants (the "Committee"), which has been tirelessly pursuing justice for its constituency of talc victims' injury by Johnson & Johnson's ("J&J's") talc products, is pleased with the court's decision to dismiss the second bankruptcy attempt. We believe the decision of the Honorable Chief Judge Kaplan was thoughtful, well-reasoned, and well-supported by the facts and law. This outcome now frees tens of thousands of victims to seek their justice through the tort system either before juries of their peers or by settlement on terms acceptable to them. The Committee has consistently contended the tort system is the rightful place for these claims to be resolved. Today's ruling validates the Committee's belief that J&J manipulated the bankruptcy system by using the "Texas Two-Step" legal maneuver and wrongfully sought to manufacture financial distress in its "Legacy Talc Liabilities" (LTL) Management subsidiary, solely to carry out a bad faith bankruptcy case. The company will now face the full weight of its conduct in the appropriate judicial forums.
"This ruling sends a clear message: multibillion-dollar, wholly solvent companies like J&J should not be allowed to use and in fact abuse bankruptcy laws to avoid accountability," said Brown Rudnick's David Molton, one of the co-counsels representing the Committee. "We are reassured by the Bankruptcy Court's reaffirmation that it will not allow solvent corporations to abuse the system and impose coercive, low-value and cram-down solutions on nonconsenting claimants. Justice should and now will triumph over corporate greed and legal chicanery."
"The claimants have waited long enough. Untold numbers of cancer victims have died while Johnson & Johnson attempted to manipulate the bankruptcy system to limit its liabilities," added Molton. "Now victims and their families can seek justice through the tort system – by presenting their case before a jury of their peers in courts of their own choosing."
The TCC filed its motion to dismiss on April 24, 2023, alongside several other movants, including the Office of the United States Trustee, numerous State Attorneys General, and other plaintiff groups, who shared a vision for this outcome. Chief Judge Kaplan's Opinion can be viewed on the case docket, available at: https://document.epiq11.com/document/getdocumentbycode?docId=4202926&projectCode=LCN&source=DM
About The Official Committee of Talc Claimants
The Official Committee of Talc Claimants (TCC), appointed by the Office of the United States Trustee (UST), an arm of the US Department of Justice, represents and acts as a fiduciary for all mesothelioma and ovarian cancer victims, as well as all subrogation claimants who have claims based on or derivative to the victims' talcum powder claims. For more information about the TCC, please view our website at https://www.ltltalccommittee.org/
The TCC is advised by counsel, an investment banker, a financial advisor, and claims estimation experts well-versed in mass tort, asbestos, talc, bankruptcy, and victim advocacy. These entities include Genova Burns L.L.C., Brown Rudnick L.L.P., Otterbourg PC, Massey & Gail L.L.P., Miller Thomson L.L.P., MoloLamken L.L.P., Compass Lexecon, FTI Consulting, and Houlihan Lokey.
Media Contact
questions@ltltalccommittee.org
View original content:
SOURCE Official Committee of Talc Claimants | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/official-committee-talc-claimants-applauds-decision-dismiss-ltl-management-second-bankruptcy-attempt/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:29 | 1 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/official-committee-talc-claimants-applauds-decision-dismiss-ltl-management-second-bankruptcy-attempt/ |
July 28, 2023: President Biden touts economic policies in a visit to Maine; CMP corridor construction will continue next week Published July 28, 2023 at 5:53 PM EDT Listen • 10:47 | https://www.mainepublic.org/podcast/this-day-in-maine/2023-07-28/july-28-2023-president-biden-touts-economic-policies-in-a-visit-to-maine-cmp-corridor-construction-will-continue-next-week | 2023-07-28T22:37:32 | 1 | https://www.mainepublic.org/podcast/this-day-in-maine/2023-07-28/july-28-2023-president-biden-touts-economic-policies-in-a-visit-to-maine-cmp-corridor-construction-will-continue-next-week |
By the end of the year, the water level at Lake Mead is expected to be almost 20 feet higher than it was in January.
Future releases from Lake Powell to Lake Mead are expected to raise the lake another six feet, the Bureau of Reclamation forecast this week.
Just a few months ago, the lake, which is fed by the Colorado River, was only about 100 feet above what's called "dead pool" status, according to hydrologist David Kreamer at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
"If the lake goes down to a dead pool level, about 950 feet above sea level, no more water can go through Hoover Dam and go downstream to California, to the crops and the fields that are located there. And that would be a pretty tremendous impact, not only for the Southwest, but for the entire United States," Kreamer said in February.
Now Lake Mead, located near Las Vegas, is expected to be at 1,065 feet by the end of the year, compared with 1,047 feet in January.
As of June 2023, the lake was at 1,056 feet, according to Bureau of Reclamation data.
SEE MORE: Divers find more human remains at receding Lake Mead
Ben Burr, executive director of the Blue Ribbon Coalition, an organization dedicated to recreation and public lands, says this is good news.
"Everyone who is recreating at Lake Mead this year is having a far better year this year than last year," Burr told Channel 13. "A lot of the facilities are open now that were struggling to be accessible last year, and it's a blessing to have this much water."
Burr says while this is positive news, the lake is still low and conservation efforts need to continue. He says this buys the feds more time to come up with a plan for future conservation.
Colorado River water conservation has been a focal point in environmental efforts in recent years. A 20-year water shortage plan for the river was put into place in 2007, and recently, new plans have been in talks.
This story was originally published by Joe Moeller for Scripps News Las Vegas.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.kgun9.com/lake-mead-expected-to-gain-20-feet-of-water-by-end-of-2023 | 2023-07-28T22:37:33 | 0 | https://www.kgun9.com/lake-mead-expected-to-gain-20-feet-of-water-by-end-of-2023 |
Prior to joining NPR in 2022, Mohammad was a producer on The Washington Post's daily flagship podcast Post Reports, where her work was recognized by multiple awards. She was honored with a Peabody award for her work on an episode on the life of George Floyd.
Juana Summers is a political correspondent for NPR covering race, justice and politics. She has covered politics since 2010 for publications including Politico, CNN and The Associated Press. She got her start in public radio at KBIA in Columbia, Mo., and also previously covered Congress for NPR. | https://www.wvasfm.org/business/business/2023-07-28/the-man-who-once-tweeted-as-x-wasnt-informed-when-the-company-took-over-his-handle | 2023-07-28T22:37:35 | 0 | https://www.wvasfm.org/business/business/2023-07-28/the-man-who-once-tweeted-as-x-wasnt-informed-when-the-company-took-over-his-handle |
EAST HARTFORD, Conn., July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, continues to receive positive support for various F135-related program items on the path toward finalizing the 2024 appropriations bill. On July 27, the Senate Appropriations Committee, led by Chairman Jon Tester (D-MT) and Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-ME), passed a bipartisan bill that included:
- $497 million for the development of the F135 engine core upgrade (ECU), the DoD's chosen F-35 engine modernization effort.
- $264 million above the President's budget request for F135 engine spares and repair parts.
- A prohibition against integrating any alternate engine on any F-35 variant.
- $280 million for the development of future engine technology that could be used on 6th generation tactical aircraft.
"I want to personally thank Senators Tester and Collins for their leadership on this effort, because it's essential to ensuring our limited DoD funds go to the most urgent, high-priority needs," said Jeff Shockey, senior vice president of RTX Global Government Relations. "I also want to express my gratitude to the Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and the entire Connecticut and Maine delegations for their support and advocacy."
The F135 supports nearly 55,000 jobs across 41 states and more than 260 domestic suppliers. In March 2023, the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy chose to upgrade the F135 versus replace it with an entirely new engine. The decision was announced as part of the administration's 2024 budget proposal.
"The Senate Appropriations Committee's full funding of the Engine Core Upgrade program, its addition of $280 million for future-generation propulsion technologies, and language prohibiting integration of an alternate engine on any F-35 variant are critically important," said Jill Albertelli, president of Military Engines at Pratt & Whitney. "Our collective focus should be on maximizing the performance of all three variants of the F-35, while prioritizing the advancement of sixth-generation solutions that serve our highest, most urgent national defense priorities."
About Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units. To learn more visit prattwhitney.com. To receive press releases and other news directly, please sign up here.
About RTX
RTX is the world's largest aerospace and defense company. With more than 180,000 global employees, we push the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. Through industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we are advancing aviation, engineering integrated defense systems for operational success, and developing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2022 sales of $67 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
Pratt & Whitney
+1 (860) 565-9600
media@prattwhitney.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE RTX | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/pratt-amp-whitneys-f135-engine-receives-full-funding-support-senate-appropriations-committee/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:36 | 1 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/pratt-amp-whitneys-f135-engine-receives-full-funding-support-senate-appropriations-committee/ |
Donald Trump appeals judge’s decision to keep hush-money case in New York state court
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump asked a federal appeals court Friday to reverse a federal judge’s decision to keep his hush-money criminal case in a New York state court that the former president claims is “very unfair” to him.
Trump’s lawyers filed a notice of appeal with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan after U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein last week rejected his bid to move the case to federal court, where his lawyers were primed to argue he was immune from prosecution.
U.S. law allows criminal prosecutions to be moved from state to federal court if they involve actions taken by federal government officials as part of their official duties, but Hellerstein ruled that the hush-money case involved a personal matter, not presidential duties.
Trump’s appeal notice came at the end of another busy week of legal action for the twice-indicted Republican as he seeks a return to the White House in next year’s election. On Thursday, he was indicted on new criminal charges in a separate case in federal court in Florida involving allegations that he illegally hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which is prosecuting the hush-money case and fought to keep it in state court, declined to comment on Trump’s appeal.
Trump pleaded not guilty April 4 in state court to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to hide reimbursements made to his longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen for his role in paying $130,000 to the porn actor Stormy Daniels, who claims she had an extramarital sexual encounter with Trump years earlier.
Cohen also arranged for the National Enquirer to pay Playboy model Karen McDougal $150,000 for the rights to her story about an alleged affair, which the supermarket tabloid then squelched in a dubious journalism practice known as “catch-and-kill.”
Trump denied having sexual encounters with either woman. His lawyers argue the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses and not part of any cover-up.
He is scheduled to stand trial in state court on March 25, 2024. In the meantime, his lawyers have asked the state court judge presiding over the case, Juan Manuel Merchan, to step aside, arguing that he’s biased in part because his daughter does political consulting work for some of Trump’s Democratic rivals. Trump has referred to Merchan as “a Trump-hating judge” with a family full of “Trump haters.” The judge has yet to rule on the request.
In seeking to try the hush-money case tried in federal court, Trump’s lawyers have argued that some of his alleged conduct amounted to official presidential duties because it occurred in 2017 while he was president, including checks he purportedly wrote while sitting in the Oval Office.
Moving the case from state court to federal court would have significant legal and practical consequences for Trump. In federal court, for example, his lawyers could then try to get the charges dismissed on the grounds that federal officials have immunity from prosecution over actions taken as part of their official job duties.
A shift to federal court would also mean a more politically diverse jury pool — drawing not only from heavily Democratic Manhattan, where Trump is wildly unpopular, but also from suburban counties north of the city where he has more political support.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/donald-trump-appeals-judges-decision-keep-hush-money-case-new-york-state-court/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:36 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/donald-trump-appeals-judges-decision-keep-hush-money-case-new-york-state-court/ |
President Joe Biden brought his economic message to Maine on Friday as his administration touts federal investment in manufacturing. The swing through Maine — Biden’s first since becoming president 2½ years ago — is part of a national tour to change voters’ minds about the state of the American economy.
It's been dubbed by the White House as "Bidenomics" — the philosophy that, as the president puts it, the best way to rebuild and strengthen the national economy is to grow from the middle out and the bottom up. It's a word and a message that the president and his administration are using over and over again as they try to convince a skeptical public that the economy is growing, especially for middle-class and blue collar Americans.
"Folks, that's Bidenomics,” Biden told roughly 150 people gathered inside an cavernous industrial space. “It's about growing the economy and strengthening the middle class. Making things in America again. Under trickle-down economics, it didn't matter where companies made things as long as it helped their bottom line."
Biden chose Auburn Manufacturing Inc. as the site to deliver that message. Standing in front of giant spools of fire-resistant fabric, Biden pointed to the roughly 40-year-old company as proof that manufacturing is not dead in the United States but coming back, with federal help.
“They weathered decades of economic storms,” Biden said. “Now with the help of the American Rescue Plan, they are having their biggest export year ever. The company is growing and their products are made in America. Made in America.”
Auburn Manufacturing employs more than 50 people today, producing advanced textiles that are used by workers in extreme-heat conditions, from oil rigs to shipyards and aerospace manufacturing. The company received more than $600,000 through state-administered grants that were funded by the American Rescue Plan, a roughly $2 billion economic stimulus package passed by Congress two years ago during the COVID pandemic.
Kathie Leonard, Auburn Manufacturing's founder and president, said they are poised to grow their small workforce by about another 30%. Leonard said the stimulus package helped keep small businesses like hers afloat during the pandemic. She also credits Biden's focus on American manufacturing with helping increase demand for U.S.-made products.
"We're now back,” Leonard said. “We are growing our workforce again. We are entering new markets. And we're upgrading our plants and equipment."
Polls suggest that Biden has his work cut out for him convincing the American public that his economic agenda is working as his reelection campaign gears up.
A survey released last month by The Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that just 34% of respondents approved of his handling of the economy. Polls consistently show his overall approving rating around 40%. And Republicans such as former President Donald Trump, who is currently the 2024 GOP frontrunner, are likely to continue seizing on that sense of economic insecurity.
Instead, Republicans are portraying Bidenomics as the primary contributor to rising costs that have eaten into Americans’ wallets in recent years.
"Bidenomics has failed, China is eating his lunch, and Joe Biden should be embarrassed coming to Maine after the assault on our lobstermen,” Maine Republican Party Chairman Joel Stetkis said in a statement, referring to opposition to offshore wind among some in the lobster industry. “If he had any shame, the taxpayer cost of this campaign trip would have been donated to helping Maine seniors afford the Biden price hike on their heating oil this winter."
But U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a moderate Democrat who has won three terms in Maine's increasingly conservative 2nd Congressional District, was among those who said that Bidenomics is working for rural America.
"It's no secret that I don't always agree with or vote with President Biden's agenda,” Golden said. “But when I look at the accomplishments and long-term economic goals of the first two years of his presidency, what I see is the beginnings of a challenge to the dismantling of our national economy that left American workers exposed to foreign competition and allowed American manufacturing power to drift overseas in pursuit of globalization."
Biden said his administration has created more than 13 million jobs, including 800,000 manufacturing jobs. And he closed out Friday's event in Auburn by signing an executive order that aims to encourage inventors to manufacture their products in the U.S. by streamlining regulations and eliminating red tape.
"Let me close with this: I'm not here to declare victory on the economy,” Biden said. “We have more work to do. We have a plan for turning things around. Bidenomics is just another way of saying restoring the American dream."
Biden flew in and out of Brunswick Executive Airport on Air Force One. | https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2023-07-28/joe-biden-promotes-economic-policies-signs-executive-order-in-maine-visit | 2023-07-28T22:37:38 | 1 | https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2023-07-28/joe-biden-promotes-economic-policies-signs-executive-order-in-maine-visit |
It's a drink Chicagoans love to hate: Jeppson's Malört, the beloved liqueur that is notoriously bitter, turns 90 this year. And, astonishingly, the Swedish-style spirit is as popular as ever.
"We've about tripled sales since we took over," said Tremaine Atkinson, the owner of the Chicago-based CH Distillery, which acquired Malört in 2018.
As head distiller, Atkinson gets to sample a lot of Malört, something he loves doing even though he's aware of the endless jokes that his product generates.
"Like your tongue just got stung by a bee, that you somehow ended up in your grandma's closet and found an old bottle of hooch that she had and chugged it, that it tastes like all the bad decisions that you've made in your life. I mean, it just goes on and on," Atkinson said while laughing.
The folklore around the drink's flavor is in fact a main selling point for Atkison's CH distillery.
But when it comes to the art of Malört-making, Atkison stresses that the two-week process is no joke.
SEE MORE: 'CHIditarod' cart race raises money and awareness for food insecurity
Malört gets its bitter taste from wormwood, a plant also used to make absinthe.
"Every culture has a tradition of taking whatever is left at the end of the harvest and just throwing it into alcohol. It's just a way to preserve it," Atkinson explained.
Swedish immigrant Carl Jeppson brought that tradition to Chicago in the 1920s, selling his homemade wormwood-based alcohol as a medical product to skirt prohibition laws.
And when Prohibition ended in 1933, Malört was officially born.
Today, fans of Malört swear that it still has medicinal perks and that it won't give you as bad a hangover as other spirits.
"There's a real reason why it was sold as a tonic door to door, because it really does work," said Crystal Blunt, a regular at Nick's Beer Garden in Chicago.
The drink has clearly reached cult status in the Windy City. And as Chicagoans introduce friends and family to the magic of Malört, the 90-year-old liquor, whose distribution has expanded to 30 states, is taking over the whole country, one bitter shot at a time.
SEE MORE: Study finds Americans are drinking alcohol at sustained elevated rates
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.kgun9.com/mal-rt-celebrates-90-years-chicago-s-bitter-liqueur-endures | 2023-07-28T22:37:39 | 0 | https://www.kgun9.com/mal-rt-celebrates-90-years-chicago-s-bitter-liqueur-endures |
Politics Seeking stronger economic ties, Vladimir Putin wraps up a summit with African leaders By Emmanuel Akinwotu Published July 28, 2023 at 5:04 PM EDT Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 4:24 As Russia wraps up its high level summit with African countries Friday, just how much real influence does Russia have in the continent? Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wvasfm.org/politics/politics/2023-07-28/seeking-stronger-economic-ties-vladimir-putin-wraps-up-a-summit-with-african-leaders | 2023-07-28T22:37:41 | 1 | https://www.wvasfm.org/politics/politics/2023-07-28/seeking-stronger-economic-ties-vladimir-putin-wraps-up-a-summit-with-african-leaders |
LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA, July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In an unprecedented collaborative endeavor, Slovenia's Ministry of Environment, Climate and Energy, in partnership with Global Footprint Network, announces a critical date for the planet: this year's Earth Overshoot Day lands on August 2nd.
The date, calculated by Global Footprint Network each year using National Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts, marks when humanity's demand for biological resources exceeds the Earth's capacity to regenerate them within that year. To spotlight this issue, the Ministry and Global Footprint Network are organizing a high-level event on August 1st, held in Ljubljana and online, to discuss the implications of overshoot. The high-level event enjoys support from key figures including President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28 and IUCN President Razan Al Mubarak, and Co-Chair of the International Resource Panel at UNEP Dr. Janez Potočnik.
"Slovenia, as the first EU country, joins the ranks of countries such as Ecuador, Japan, the Philippines, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates, leveraging Ecological Footprint data and officially endorsing the metric as a useful tool to steer environmental policy," affirms Bojan Kumer, Slovenia's Minister of the Environment, Climate and Energy. He further elucidates that efforts to reduce Slovenia's Ecological Footprint by 20% by 2030 will spur greater opportunities for the country amid a future marked by climate change and resource constraints.
Razan Al Mubarak notes the Ecological Footprint's utility, "With this metric in hand, any country, region, city, or company can assess its current standing and determine how it can contribute to postponing this date (Earth Overshoot Day)." It provides valuable insights for forward-thinking strategies that address resource security and enable the transition towards a sustainable economy.
Earth Overshoot Day coincides with the European Parliament's recent vote on the Nature Restoration Law. The persistence of overshoot has led to land and soil degradation, fish stock depletion, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and greenhouse gas accumulation. These symptoms are becoming more prominent every day across the planet, with unusual heat waves, wildfires, droughts, and floods, exacerbating the competition for food and energy.
"The biggest risk, apart from ecological overshoot itself, lies in complacency towards this crisis. Entities that act now are not just safeguarding the environment but future-proofing their economy and the wellbeing of their residents," underlines Steven Tebbe, CEO of Global Footprint Network.
Contacts
Watch event https://video.sta.si/
View original content:
SOURCE Republic of Slovenia Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/slovenias-ministry-environment-climate-energy-global-footprint-network-host-high-level-event-mark-earth-overshoot-day-2023/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:42 | 1 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/slovenias-ministry-environment-climate-energy-global-footprint-network-host-high-level-event-mark-earth-overshoot-day-2023/ |
Funding approved for Saginaw’s Medical Diamond Project
SAGINAW, Mich. (WNEM) - The state approved millions for the Medical Diamond Project, which is a massive investment in medical services along Saginaw’s riverfront.
Pretty soon, the Saginaw’s riverfront will be turned into the region’s new medical hub.
On Wednesday, July 26, the state approved $30.3 million in funding for Saginaw’s Medical Diamond Project.
“It’s been our long-term goal for several years to redevelop those properties,” said City Manager Tim Morales.
The project has been a collaborative effort between the city of Saginaw, Saginaw County, Saginaw Future Incorporated, the Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce, and many others.
It’ll include infrastructure improvements to prepare a site on Washington Avenue for a transformational development.
“Parking facilities, water and sewer lines, various utility lines, and various activities like that to encourage and make development easier,” Morales explained. “Basically, travel ready sites - that’s where we plan to spend the money, so we’re hoping that other entities follow that lead and are willing to build there.”
This project has been 20 years in the making, with a goal of making Saginaw the center of healthcare for the northern region.
The plan includes developing properties around ascension St. Mary’s Hospital, Covenant Medical Center, and expanding Central Michigan University College of Medicine.
Morales believes this will help revitalize Saginaw’s economy.
“When you have those types of services, medical education, those are things that people would be doing in the city center. Jobs where you can’t do that kind of work at home. It doesn’t get shipped overseas because it’s a service that needs to be provided right here. So, you’re creating jobs, economic development, and providing the health services,” he said.
No exact date has been given yet, but the groundbreaking is expected later this year.
Subscribe to the TV5 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every day.
Copyright 2023 WNEM. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/funding-approved-saginaws-medical-diamond-project/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:42 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/funding-approved-saginaws-medical-diamond-project/ |
TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — On July 14, United States District Judge Scott H. Rash sentenced Jorge Alexis Hernandez-Martinez, 25, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, to 36 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Hernandez-Martinez pleaded guilty to the charge of Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods from the United States.
Hernandez-Martinez and his co-conspirators bought ammunition and firearms from Arizona-based licensed firearms dealers with the intention of smuggling them into Mexico.
Hernandez-Martinez and his co-conspirators obtained 6,800 rounds of 9mm ammunition in January 2020, disregarding the fact that the importation into Mexico without a license was prohibited according to the United States Commerce Control List.
None of those involved in the conspiracy to export ammunition and firearms into Mexico, including Hernandez-Martinez, had a permit or any other legal permission to do so. | https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/man-faces-time-in-prison-for-conspiracy-to-smuggle-goods-from-the-u-s | 2023-07-28T22:37:45 | 1 | https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/man-faces-time-in-prison-for-conspiracy-to-smuggle-goods-from-the-u-s |
Justine Kenin is an editor on All Things Considered. She joined NPR in 1999 as an intern. Nothing makes her happier than getting a book in the right reader's hands – most especially her own.
Juana Summers is a political correspondent for NPR covering race, justice and politics. She has covered politics since 2010 for publications including Politico, CNN and The Associated Press. She got her start in public radio at KBIA in Columbia, Mo., and also previously covered Congress for NPR. | https://www.wvasfm.org/politics/politics/2023-07-28/the-implications-of-the-recent-coup-in-niger | 2023-07-28T22:37:48 | 1 | https://www.wvasfm.org/politics/politics/2023-07-28/the-implications-of-the-recent-coup-in-niger |
‘Horrible conditions’: Nearly 30 dogs found dead in freezers; dog rescue owner charged
HAMILTON, Ohio (Gray News) - The owner of a dog rescue in Ohio is facing multiple charges after deputies found animals in unlivable conditions.
Authorities said deputy dog wardens were called to two properties in Butler County regarding a complaint this week.
The team found at least 30 deceased dogs on the properties along with about 90 living animals in “the most horrible conditions they have ever seen.”
According to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Rhonda Murphy, the owner of the properties, was operating a rescue under the name Helping Hands for Furry Paws.
When deputies and investigators searched the structures, multiple dogs’ bodies were found in refrigerators and freezers, with some of the coolers not working.
Other deceased canines were also found on the property, including puppies.
According to investigators, a garage housed about 25 living dogs, but they were kept in cages, some together, with no air conditioning or ventilation in the room. Temperatures were measured to be about 89 degrees inside.
Numerous animals were found without access to food or water, including a mother dog and her eight puppies.
Deputies said the odor was so strong that it burned their eyes and took away their breath as they checked the property.
Additionally, 11 more dogs were found in the main house living in the same deplorable conditions as others found on the property.
“Conditions were so horrendous that dog wardens had to leave the structure numerous times to catch their breath,” the sheriff’s office said.
All dogs were seized from the properties.
Authorities said Murphy is facing dozens of misdemeanor and felony charges that include neglect and cruelty to animals.
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/horrible-conditions-nearly-30-dogs-found-dead-freezers-dog-rescue-owner-charged/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:49 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/horrible-conditions-nearly-30-dogs-found-dead-freezers-dog-rescue-owner-charged/ |
Tampa General is recognized nationally in the top 100 of the Best Employers for Women list and ranks #1 among Best Employers for Women in Florida in the Healthcare and Social category.
TAMPA, Fla., July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital has been named one of America's Best Employers for Women by Forbes for 2023, ranking in the top 100 of organizations nationally and as the Best Employer for Women in Florida in the Healthcare and Social category. The academic health system is also ranked #3 overall in the state. Tampa General has been included on Forbes America's Best Employers for Women list every year since 2020.
"The health and well-being of our team at Tampa General is our top priority and critical to our success as an organization as well as our ability to provide the highest level of care to our community and beyond. We continue to nurture a human-centered culture that both empowers everyone to be their whole, authentic selves at work and ensures every individual feels seen, heard and valued," said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital. "As an academic health system, we are committed to prioritizing not only the personal and professional development of all team members through education opportunities, but we also work to ensure that they have all the support they need."
Forbes partnered with the market research company Statista to identify organizations committed to the advancement of women in and out of the workplace. More than 60,000 American employees were surveyed, including 40,000 women working for companies employing at least 1,000 people within the United States. Survey responses were evaluated against various criteria, including atmosphere and development, image, working conditions, workplace, diversity, family support, flexibility, representation and pay equity.
Tampa General routinely gauges the needs of team members through annual evaluations conducted by a third-party professional survey company.
"When we talk about providing world-class care at Tampa General, that includes taking care of our team members as well as our community," said Qualenta Kivett, executive vice president and chief people and talent officer at Tampa General Hospital. "To make this a reality, our academic health system embodies a culture of belonging and fairness. Our steadfast commitment to our team members' growth and well-being is essential to recruiting and retaining high-quality and diverse talent, which results in better experiences and outcomes for the patients we serve."
Aligning with Tampa General's culture focused on helping all team members thrive personally and professionally, the academic health system has developed and continues to introduce new programs and initiatives that provide support to women team members such as:
- Flexibility: Tampa General offers a competitive time-off policy as well as remote working options and flexibility for part-time positions. Over the past two years, the academic health system's team members have increasingly expressed a desire for part-time work schedules and those have been accommodated through offering seasonal contracts and part-time opportunities, where possible.
- Growth and Development: In addition to competitive tuition reimbursement, skills reimbursement and scholarships, Tampa General also offers free access to career, leadership and personal development through courses in Organizational Development, such as Crucial Conversations. Through clinical and non-clinical ladders, the academic health system also offers structured systems to advance career development while the team member remains in a current position.
- Health, Wellness and Benefits: Along with competitive medical benefits, team members receive access to wellness activities and fitness tracking through a free app, an on-site gym and online classes through the TGH Fitness Center. The academic health system also provides free access to virtual behavioral health support that provides access to a trained mental health counselor within 72 hours. It is also available to dependents with TGH insurance. Additionally, there is a team member lounge in the hospital that includes massage chairs to allow team members to decompress.
- Family Support: An on-site daycare center provides families with an education and development curriculum for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Understanding that family support looks different for every team member, through the TGH Foundation, the academic health system offers an annual school supply giveaway, which includes computers and an emergency fund to support team members in crisis. Other support includes gas cards to team members when gas prices skyrocketed, as well as grants to help team members rebuild their homes after sustaining hurricane damage. Tampa General offers a generous maternity leave package. All team members who give birth are guaranteed 12 weeks of job-protected leave post-delivery, regardless of whether they qualify for Family Medical Leave (FMLA) or have exhausted their FMLA entitlement for the year. In addition, Tampa General provides several options to team members needing financial assistance, including ATO leave sharing and short-term disability. TGH also provides a supportive environment to enable breastfeeding team members to express milk during work hours. Private lactation rooms or designated nursing space is available throughout the hospital and every TGH location.
- People Development Institute: Tampa General has invested heavily in the continued education and professional development of all team members with programs such as its People Development Institute (PDI), which offers classes through a partnership with the University of South Florida (USF) Muma College of Business at no charge. Among the program's most impactful success stories are those of women who have leveraged PDI offerings to broaden their career horizons. One example is Stephanie Jackson, who started as a parking attendant at Tampa General and pursued advanced degrees and PDI courses to become a director for the academic health system.
- AKTiVe Leadership Initiative: Through the PDI program, the AKTiVe Leadership Initiative involves all TGH leaders in their leadership development. The AKTiVe Leadership Model embodies four qualities of leaders: Authenticity, Kindness, Transparency and Vulnerability. When enacted through the behaviors of leaders, these qualities create a positive environment for leaders, team members and patients.
- LEAD TGH: LEAD (Leadership, Enrichment and Development) TGH provides a platform for emerging leaders to share ideas, overcome challenges and foster personal and professional development. The free program spans 12 months and creates career pathways while identifying future leaders.
- Modern Advances in Leadership: Facilitated through the University of Tampa's Sykes College of Business, the series provides transformative and interactive learning experiences to advance the skills of current and future leaders.
Inclusion on the Forbes America's Best Employers for Women list is the latest among several high-profile recognitions for Tampa General for its supportive work environment:
- Forbes' Best Employers for New Graduates (Top 20) – May 2023
- Becker's Hospital Review's 150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare – April 2023
- Glassdoor's Employee's Choice Award – January 2023
- Newsweek's America's Greatest Workplaces for Diversity – January 2023
- Forbes' America's Best Employers by State (Top 10 Employer in Florida) – August 2022
ABOUT FORBES
Forbes champions success by celebrating those who have made it, and those who aspire to make it. Forbes convenes and curates the most influential leaders and entrepreneurs who are driving change, transforming business and making a significant impact on the world. The Forbes brand today reaches more than 140 million people worldwide through its trusted journalism, signature LIVE and Forbes Virtual events, custom marketing programs and 32 licensed local editions in 71 countries. Forbes Media's brand extensions include real estate, education and financial services license agreements. For more information, visit the Forbes News Hub or Forbes Connect.
ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL
Tampa General Hospital, a 1,040-bed, not-for-profit, academic health system, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report's 2022-23 Best Hospitals, and is tied as the third highest-ranked hospital in Florida, with seven specialties ranking among the best programs in the United States. Tampa General Hospital has been designated as a model of excellence by the 2022 Fortune/Merative 100 Top Hospitals list. The academic health system's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by two prestigious Forbes magazine rankings – in the top 100 nationally in the 2023 America's Best Employers for Women and sixth out of 100 Florida companies in the 2022 America's Best Employers by State. Tampa General is the safety net hospital in the region, caring for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and in fiscal year 2021, provided a net community benefit worth more than $224.5 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education, and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is one of the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With six medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center, and its 32-bed Neuroscience, Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Brandon Healthplex, TGH Virtual Health, and 21 TGH Imaging powered by Tower outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics. To see a medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone, tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital (tgh.org). As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is the first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that provides real-time situational awareness to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost. For more information, go to www.tgh.org.
Media Contact: Beth Hardy, APR
Senior Communications Specialist
(727) 510-6363 (cell)
ehardy@tgh.org
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Tampa General Hospital | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/tampa-general-hospital-named-one-americas-best-employers-women-2023-by-forbes/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:48 | 1 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/tampa-general-hospital-named-one-americas-best-employers-women-2023-by-forbes/ |
ATLANTA (AP) — An Arizona man accused of trying to extort Georgia Tech by falsely accusing its men's basketball coach of sexual assault has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison, federal prosecutors said.
Ronald Bell, 57, of Oro Valley, Arizona, was sentenced Thursday to two years, nine months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said in a news release. Bell pleaded guilty in March to conspiring with his co-defendant, Jennifer Pendley, and a security guard at Georgia Tech, to the extortion scheme.
RELATED:
- Oro Valley man involved in Pastner suit arrested
- Oro Valley couple files sexual assault counterclaim against Josh Pastner
- Former Arizona Wildcat Josh Pastner files civil suit against accusers
“Ronald Bell tried to extort Georgia Tech and ruin the reputation of its basketball coach,” Buchanan said. “As federal prosecutors, we have a responsibility to the citizens of this district to pursue accountability and justice for crimes of sexual violence. But in this case Bell attempted to exploit the mission of our office, and law enforcement partners, to combat sexual assault through a brazen effort to enrich himself at the expense of Georgia Tech and a member of its staff. Bell has now been held accountable for his crime.”
Bell demanded money from Georgia Tech in exchange for not reporting the fictitious sexual assault, the news release said. When Georgia Tech refused to pay Bell, Pendley filed a lawsuit claiming sexual battery, sexual assault, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The claims falsely alleged that a guard witnessed assault. Ultimately, the security guard admitted that his statements were false and that Bell asked him to lie to support the false claim against the university's basketball coach, Josh Pastner.
Bell told the security guard that the false accusation could be worth $20 million to Bell and Pendley and promised the guard a share of the money and a new Jeep, according to the news release.
Pastner, a former University of Arizona assistant coach, and the couple, who were once friends, have been entangled in litigation since January 2018. It started when Pastner sued them for blackmail and defamation. He accused them of falsely claiming he broke NCAA rules.
They in turn countersued, which is when they accused Pastner of sexually assaulting Pendley at a Houston hotel in 2016 when he was a coach at Memphis.
Georgia Tech conducted an independent investigation last year and found no basis for the sexual misconduct allegations.
It was not immediately clear if Pendley or the security guard face charges in the case.
----
STAY IN TOUCH WITH US ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
- Download our free app for Roku, FireTV, AppleTV, Alexa, and mobile devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Youtube | https://www.kgun9.com/news/state/arizona-man-who-extorted-georgia-tech-gets-prison-time | 2023-07-28T22:37:51 | 1 | https://www.kgun9.com/news/state/arizona-man-who-extorted-georgia-tech-gets-prison-time |
Former President Donald Trump faces three new charges in the case accusing him of hoarding classified documents as a grand jury continues to investigate his role in trying to overturn 2020's election.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Former President Donald Trump faces three new charges in the case accusing him of hoarding classified documents as a grand jury continues to investigate his role in trying to overturn 2020's election.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wvasfm.org/politics/politics/2023-07-28/where-trumps-legal-issues-stand-as-he-sees-more-charges-in-classified-documents-case | 2023-07-28T22:37:54 | 0 | https://www.wvasfm.org/politics/politics/2023-07-28/where-trumps-legal-issues-stand-as-he-sees-more-charges-in-classified-documents-case |
‘If I stayed, I was going to die’: Students, asst. principal testify in day 2 of Oxford shooter’s Miller hearing
OAKLAND CO., Mich. (WNEM) - Ethan Crumbley, the 17-year-old who shot and killed four students at Oxford High School in 2021, is in court on Friday for the second day of his Miller hearing, which began on Thursday, July 27.
The hearing will decide if he’s eligible of for life in prison without the possibility of parole due to his age at the time of the shooting.
Witness testimonies of that terrifying day were shared in Friday’s hearing.
Gibson-Marshall described the moment she realized Crumbley was the shooter.
“When he got closer? I realized it was Ethan and I just thought it couldn’t be Ethan. He wouldn’t, he wouldn’t do that,” said Kristy Gibson-Marshall, the assistant principal of Oxford High School.
Members in the crowd wiped tears from their eyes as they listened to the testimonies from students at day two of Crumbley’s Miller hearing.
“If I stayed, I was going to die,” said Keegan Gregory.
Keegan was a freshman at the time of the shooting. He recounted the day of the shooting - the day he, too, almost lost his life.
“And the shooter tells you to do what?” a prosecuting attorney asked.
“Kind of signals me to go by his body,” Keegan responded.
“And what did you do?” the attorney asked.
“When he moved the gun away from his side, kind of, I ran behind his back and out the door,” Keegan explained.
Related: Witnesses give emotional testimony during Oxford shooter’s Miller hearing
Several others took the stand including another Oxford student, Heidi Allen, who was a sophomore at the time of the shooting.
”It was chaos. There was someone trying to be resuscitated. Whoever was helping her was yelling at her like ‘come on, come on you got this’ and stuff, like, trying to just get her to respond,” said Heidi.
“Did you, at some point, learn who that was that needed resuscitating?” a prosecuting attorney asked.
“Yes,” Heidi responded.
“Who was it?” the attorney prompted.
“Hana,” she said.
Hana St. Juliana was one of the children killed by Crumbley in the shooting.
Gibson-Marshall talked through tears as she described efforts she made to save Tate Myer, one of the students who died.
“He was blue. When I was giving him breaths he was getting lighter so I just thought they were helping. So, I kept giving the breaths,” she recounted.
Crumbley, seemingly remorseful, wiped away some tears of his own.
Prosecutors asked the judge to sentence Crumbley to life in prison without the possibility of parole - something rare in Michigan.
Once Oakland County Judge Kwame Rowe makes a decision, he will set two dates: one to announce his decision and another for Crumbley’s sentencing.
Friday’s hearing did not wrap up before 4:30 p.m. as more witnesses are going to take the stand. The judge has another obligation on Monday and the hearing will resume on Tuesday morning at 8:30.
Ethan Crumbley’s parents are also facing charges of involuntary manslaughter associated with their son’s actions. Prosecutors claim the parents were “grossly negligent” for buying their son a gun and ignoring his mental health needs. Their case is pending before the Michigan Supreme Court.
Subscribe to the TV5 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every day.
Copyright 2023 WNEM. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/if-i-stayed-i-was-going-die-students-asst-principal-testify-day-2-oxford-shooters-miller-hearing/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:55 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/if-i-stayed-i-was-going-die-students-asst-principal-testify-day-2-oxford-shooters-miller-hearing/ |
World's Longest Elevated Pedestrian Loop
Now Open
APPLE VALLEY, Minn., July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Minnesota Zoo Treetop Trail, the world's longest elevated pedestrian loop, is now officially open to the public. The 1.25-mile Treetop Trail takes guests to new heights – up to 32 feet above the ground - as they travel into the trees and gain new perspectives of many Zoo animals, including tigers, moose, bison, and camels. The Treetop Trail will be open year-round for guests to experience Minnesota's four seasons.
Minnesota Lieutenant Governor, Peggy Flanagan, helped kick off the historic grand opening by proclaiming it "Minnesota Zoo Treetop Trail Day" in the state in front of an enthusiastic crowd of nature, animal, and zoo lovers.
"The Minnesota Zoo has always been a special place for our family. By creating new opportunities to get outdoors and encouraging Minnesotans of all ages to take new perspectives, the Treetop Trail is a treasure and a true gift to Minnesotans," said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. "The Treetop Trail takes us one step closer to making Minnesota the best state for kids and families – for generations to come. I'm grateful to everyone who put their time, energy, and care into making this vision a reality."
In his opening remarks, Minnesota Zoo Director John Frawley proclaimed that the Treetop Trail is a gift for Minnesotans. "The Treetop Trail will provide an accessible and immersive pathway to nature for all ages, abilities, backgrounds, and communities."
Opening appropriately on World Nature Conservation Day (July 28), the Treetop Trail reaffirms the Minnesota Zoo as a worldwide leader in wildlife conservation and as a trusted nature destination. The Minnesota Zoo opened in 1978 with a mission to connect people, animals, and the natural world to save wildlife.
"For the last 45 years, the Zoo has done a tremendous job connecting people and animals. The Treetop Trail allows us to reimagine the traditional zoo experience and further the connection between people and the natural world," said Frawley.
The Treetop Trail gives guests year-round access to hundreds of acres of hardwood forest, ponds and marshes, and the diverse wildlife that calls Minnesota home. And, of course, a bird's eye view for bird watchers. It adds more than 70,000 square feet to the Zoo and includes 22 bump-out overlooks to enhance the viewing experience while walking the trail.
Integrating into the Minnesota Zoo's original monorail track, which opened in 1979 and was retired in 2013, the Treetop Trail is the ultimate reuse construction project. Planning began in June 2018 and a ceremonial groundbreaking was held in April 2022. "Thanks to the full support from our Boards, legislative and government champions, as well as the philanthropic community, we have secured $39 million in public and private partnership to support our Step Into Nature campaign and this transformational project," said Frawley.
The Zoo contracted with award-winning Snow Kreilich Architects; engineering firm Buro Happold (known for its work on the High Line in New York City); TEN x TEN Landscape Architecture and Urbanism; and construction partner, PCL. Together, they have been committed to minimizing disruptions to the Zoo's animals and guests before, during, and after construction of the trail.
The Minnesota Zoo would like to express profound gratitude to the following for their support of the Treetop Trail: State of Minnesota, K.A.H.R. Foundation, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Target, Best Buy Foundation, Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation, Flint Hills Resources, and hundreds of individual donors.
To learn more about the Minnesota Zoo's Treetop Trail, please visit mnzoo.org/treetoptrail.
Background and assets can be found here: Minnesota Zoo Treetop Trail Assets.
About the Minnesota Zoo
The Minnesota Zoo is a year-round destination providing a window into the natural world. With hundreds of species of animals, worldwide conservation efforts, and acres of scenic beauty, the Zoo is a resource to connect people, animals, and the natural world to save wildlife. The Minnesota Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and an institutional member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). For more information visit mnzoo.org.
About the Minnesota Zoo Treetop Trail
The 1.25-mile Treetop Trail at the Minnesota Zoo is the world's longest elevated pedestrian loop. An inspired repurposing of the Zoo's original monorail trail, the path brings guests up to 32 feet above the ground providing them a bird's eye view and access to hundreds of acres of hardwood forest, wetlands, wildlife, and, of course, the Zoo's beloved animals. The mission of the Treetop Trail is to provide a year-round, welcoming, and accessible journey into nature for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities through self-guided experiences as well as special events and programming. mnzoo.org/treetoptrail
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Minnesota Zoo | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/treetop-trail-raises-minnesota-zoo-new-level/ | 2023-07-28T22:37:55 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/treetop-trail-raises-minnesota-zoo-new-level/ |
On a hot summer day, in the Atlanta Dream practice facility, head coach Tanisha Wright is running drills and keeping her players motivated on the heels of a mid-season hot streak.
"How we approach our team in general is high accountability, it's one of our pillars. Not just as an athlete, but as an individual," said Wright.
The former player-turned-coach is in her second season as the Dream's head coach. Having been in their shoes for 14 years means she's someone the players can look to for leadership.
"I'm able to relate to them because I've been in their position before," said Wright.
This season, The Dream are on track to make the playoffs for the first time in five years, and the team just sent three players to the WNBA All-Star game. A big part of that success is Coach Wright.
She's a strong advocate for her players on the court, and one of nine female head-coaches in the league.
"It's a women's league so anytime you can have representation in leadership form, I think it's important so our players, and players across the league, can look around and see representation and opportunity," said Wright.
SEE MORE: Washington Mystics' Tianna Hawkins talks WNBA season, league growth
And she isn't the only woman in a key leadership role for the Dream.
In 2021, former Dream point-guard Renee Montgomery made history when she became the first former player to become an owner and executive of a WNBA franchise.
Along with co-owner Suzanne Abair, Wright says women have played a pivotal role in the team's recent success.
"Having Suzanne and Renee is really important," said Wright.
For years, players in the WNBA have been at the forefront of social justice battles. And in 2020, the Dream spoke out against then co-owner, former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler after comments she made about the Black Lives Matter movement.
Players across the league called for her removal as a team co-owner. Loeffler sold the dream later that season, making way for Montgomery's stake in her old team.
And it wasn't just the team Loeffler lost. The Dream supported Loeffler's opponent in the 2020 election, Reverend Raphael Warnock — who ended up winning the Senate seat against the incumbent, flipping Georgia blue.
Wright says female leadership has also contributed to the team's healthy culture, allowing a safe space for players to learn and grow. That means going beyond the "W" in WNBA.
"We want it to be a culture where people feel comfortable to be themselves every single day," said Wright.
And whether it's a message to her current players or future generations, Wright says one thing will always be true: "You're gonna get out of it what you put into it — the more you put into it, the more the game will give you."
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.kgun9.com/the-wnba-s-atlanta-dream-is-having-one-of-its-most-successful-seasons | 2023-07-28T22:37:57 | 1 | https://www.kgun9.com/the-wnba-s-atlanta-dream-is-having-one-of-its-most-successful-seasons |
Marine scientists say record ocean temperatures have sparked widespread coral bleaching in the Florida Keys. The extreme heat and bleaching have been deadly — killing all coral on one popular reef.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Marine scientists say record ocean temperatures have sparked widespread coral bleaching in the Florida Keys. The extreme heat and bleaching have been deadly — killing all coral on one popular reef.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wvasfm.org/science/science/2023-07-28/scientists-fight-to-help-protect-the-florida-coral-thats-dying-from-heat | 2023-07-28T22:38:00 | 0 | https://www.wvasfm.org/science/science/2023-07-28/scientists-fight-to-help-protect-the-florida-coral-thats-dying-from-heat |
Justice Alito says Congress lacks the power to impose an ethics code on the Supreme Court
WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Samuel Alito says Congress lacks the power to impose a code of ethics on the Supreme Court, making him the first member of the court to take a public stand against proposals in Congress to toughen ethics rules for justices in response to increased scrutiny of their activities beyond the bench.
“I know this is a controversial view, but I’m willing to say it. No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court—period,” Alito said in an interview he gave to the Wall Street Journal opinion pages. An account of the interview, which the paper said took place in New York in early July, was published Friday.
Democrats last week pushed Supreme Court ethics legislation through a Senate committee, though the bill’s prospects in the full Senate are dim.
All federal judges other than the justices already adhere to an ethics code that was developed by the federal judiciary. But the Supreme Court’s unique status — it’s the only federal court created by the Constitution — puts it outside the reach of those standards that apply to other federal jurists.
Democrats first sought to address that after ProPublica reported earlier this year that Justice Clarence Thomas participated in lavish vacations and a real estate deal with a top Republican donor — and after Chief Justice John Roberts declined to testify before the committee about the ethics of the court.
Since then, ProPublica also revealed that Alito had taken a luxury vacation in Alaska with a Republican donor who had business interests before the court. The Associated Press reported in early July that Justice Sonia Sotomayor, aided by her staff, has advanced sales of her books through college visits over the past decade.
The 73-year-old Alito, who joined the court in 2006, has rejected the idea that he should have disclosed the Alaska trip or stepped away from cases involving the donor, hedge fund owner Paul Singer. Alito penned his own Wall Street Journal op-ed, which was published hours before ProPublica posted its story.
Alito said that he is unwilling to leave allegations unanswered, though he acknowledged judges and justices typically don’t respond to their critics.
“And so at a certain point I’ve said to myself, nobody else is going to do this, so I have to defend myself,” he said in the newest column.
While no other justice has spoken so definitively about ethics legislation, Roberts has raised questions about Congress’ authority to oversee the high court.
In his year-end report in 2011, Roberts wrote that the justices comply with legislation that requires annual financial disclosures and limits their outside earned income. “The Court has never addressed whether Congress may impose those requirements on the Supreme Court. The Justices nevertheless comply with those provisions,” Roberts wrote.
The justices have so far resisted adopting an ethics code on their own, although Roberts said in May that there is more the court can do to “adhere to the highest standards” of ethical conduct, without providing specifics.
The column is co-written by James Taranto, the paper’s editorial features editor, and David Rivkin, a Washington lawyer. Rivkin represents Leonard Leo, the onetime leader of the conservative legal group The Federalist Society, in his dealings with Senate Democrats who want details of Leo’s dealings with the justices. Leo helped arrange Alito’s trip to Alaska.
Rivkin, in a letter Tuesday to leading Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the request was politically motivated and violates Leo’s constitutional rights. Rivkin also wrote that a congressionally imposed ethics code for the Supreme Court would falter on constitutional grounds. Separately, Rivkin represents a couple whose tax case will be argued before the court in the fall.
Alito talked with the Taranto and Rivkin for four hours in interviews in April and July, they wrote. They published an account of the earlier interview in April.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/justice-alito-says-congress-lacks-power-impose-an-ethics-code-supreme-court/ | 2023-07-28T22:38:01 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/justice-alito-says-congress-lacks-power-impose-an-ethics-code-supreme-court/ |
More Than 1,175 Higher Education Workers Gain Teamster Representation
OAKLAND, Calif., July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Workers at the University of California (UC) have joined Teamsters Local 2010. The 1,175 newest members of Local 2010 in Oakland will now bargain for higher pay, reduced benefit costs, overtime pay, job security, and respect in the workplace.
"It's great to be represented again! I feel secure knowing someone is fighting for us to receive better pay and protect our rights," said Azalia Maldonado, a facilities management specialist at UC Berkeley.
"I'm so happy to be a Teamster again!" said Michelle Belden, a research administrator at UC Davis who was Teamster Shop Steward in her previous job of Blank Assistant 4 in the CX Unit. "There is power in our solidarity."
"I am excited to be a part of a strong union that advocates for members' rights and interests," said Patricia Passalacqua, an ambulatory care administration coordinator at UC San Diego. "All of the Teamsters' hard work and tenacity is evident. Knowing we have the support of Teamsters from all industries to help us protect our rights has lifted a weight off our shoulders. I look forward to connecting with other members in the future."
Workers in the titles of Ambulatory Care Administration Coordinator, Facilities Management Specialist, Health Professional Education Specialist, and Research Administrator had been misclassified by the UC in an effort to deny union-negotiated wages and benefits, including the right to strike. The Public Employment Relations Board issued unit modification orders on June 22, 2023.
The newly organized workers will join more than 16,000 administrative, paraprofessional, and skilled trades workers who provide critical public services at every University of California and California State University campus, medical center, and laboratory throughout the state, as well as 1.2 million Teamster members in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, with Public Services being one of the largest Teamster divisions.
"Teamsters Local 2010 welcomes our new sisters and brothers," said Jason Rabinowitz, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 2010. "We are especially pleased that they will immediately see the benefits of being Teamsters — guaranteed raises that are higher than those for non-union workers, this year and every year of our contract — plus all the rights at work and benefits of Teamster representation."
The group will soon assemble a bargaining team to begin the bargaining process for salary ranges, step placement, on-call and shift differential pay, as well as other bonus eligibility and pay.
Teamsters Local 2010 is a union of 15,000 hardworking employees in California higher education. We are affiliated with the 1.2 million-member International Brotherhood of Teamsters, representing members throughout the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. We stand together to win better wages, benefits, and working conditions. We strive to protect workers' rights through direct action and determined labor representation.
Contact
Aimee Baror, (213) 220-0538
abaror@teamsters2010.org
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Teamsters Local 2010 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/university-california-workers-join-teamsters-local-2010/ | 2023-07-28T22:38:02 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/university-california-workers-join-teamsters-local-2010/ |
New analysis finds that people in mobile or manufactured homes are more likely to be killed during a tornado than those in site-built homes.
The Associated Press analyzed tornado data going back to 1996 and found that 53% of all deaths at home during tornadoes occurred in mobile or manufactured homes.
But these mobile homes account for 6% of all housing units in the U.S., according to the Census Bureau.
In January, seven people died during a tornado in Alabama. All of those who died lived in mobile homes. Some of them were ultimately thrown more than 1,000 feet from where the building originally stood.
The worst damage done to a nearby site-built home, meanwhile, was some damage to its roof shingles.
Experts who study the effects of tornadoes on mobile homes told The Associated Press that the problems with mobile homes usually stem from weak connections to the ground, compared to the foundations of site-built homes.
When the bottom fails, the structure is free to move.
"The whole structure is rolling or flying through air. You've got dressers falling on top of you. You've got the entire structure that's trying to crush you," Auburn University engineering professor David Roueche told The Associated Press.
"You just have to be in some structure that’s attached to the ground," NOAA social scientist Kim Klockow-McClain said. "And then no matter what the tornado throws at you, you have really good odds."
SEE MORE: Tornado Alley Is Expanding, Hitting More Southern States Than Ever
The percentage of deaths from tornadoes in mobile homes is also increasing, a trend that may continue because of the way storms are shifting location in the U.S. Experts say new regions of the south are at increasing risk from tornadoes, because of altered weather patterns due to climate change and other factors.
Mobile homes in places like Alabama are often spread out, making centralized tornado shelters less practical. Tornadoes may also strike quickly, in a matter of minutes or seconds, which gives those in their path little time to prepare.
The experts who spoke to The Associated Press recommend extending federal rules that require better anchoring of mobile homes. There are laws in place for mobile homes in hurricane-prone areas, they say, that could make mobile homes everywhere safer if they were applied nationwide.
SEE MORE: Broken tornado sirens will be part of FEMA review in Congress
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.kgun9.com/why-are-mobile-home-residents-more-likely-to-be-killed-by-a-tornado | 2023-07-28T22:38:04 | 0 | https://www.kgun9.com/why-are-mobile-home-residents-more-likely-to-be-killed-by-a-tornado |
NBA’s Monte Morris Returns to Flint Beecher for Community Basketball Camp
SAGINAW, Mich. (WNEM) - Flint Beecher’s own Monte Morris returned to the Moses Lacey Fieldhouse to host his local basketball camp.
Kids from 7 to 16 years old came out to learn drills and ball out in front of the newest Detroit Piston and 2-time Beecher state champ.
Also at the camp was “Flintstone” Mateen Cleaves who couldn’t pass up the opportunity to speak to the kids today and support Monte and Flint basketball.
“To have me come in and speak I feel honored,” said Cleaves. Flint Northern alum and Michigan State University National Champion. “You drop everything to make sure you come here and help play my part in blessing these young kids in this community.”
Monte said it was clear, after all the drills, 1-on-1′s and hard work from the kids, that the future of Flint basketball is bright.
“Flint basketball is on the rise man,” said Morris, Beecher state champion in 2012 and 2013. “People thought it was dead for a minute but you know, we’ve got so much talent man. With the 1-on-1 stuff and all of that it was just big time man because kids look up to me. You know a lot of kids want to play in the NBA so for me to come down here and just touch them and give them confidence and be excited for them when they do moves that we just worked on in a drill is amazing.”
“One thing Monte is doing is showing these kids that it can be done,” said Cleaves. “He’s from this area. This is where he played high school basketball. I mean I get chill bumps coming because I instantly think back to when I used to come watch him play.”
Copyright 2023 WNEM. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/nbas-monte-morris-returns-flint-beecher-hold-community-basketball-camp/ | 2023-07-28T22:38:07 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/nbas-monte-morris-returns-flint-beecher-hold-community-basketball-camp/ |
Junior's Rolls Out a Dessert Fit for The King: Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana is Winner of National Cheesecake Day Flavor Contest
BROOKLYN, N.Y., July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Elvis Presley is the original rock 'n' roll legend, and Junior's is the original cheesecake legend. So, it is more than appropriate that peanut butter chocolate and banana – inspired by Elvis' favorite sandwich -- is now the newest limited edition Junior's cheesecake flavor, the result of a national flavor contest held in the lead-up to National Cheesecake Day, this coming Sunday, July 30.
Out of more than 5,000 entries across the country, Thomas Zahorec, from Greenville, South Carolina, channeled his inner King when submitting the winning flavor.
"Elvis had his numerous number one hits, and we have ours," said Alan Rosen, owner of Junior's. "So, I can't think of a better way to celebrate National Cheesecake Day than by creating this new flavor to honor the King, himself. Because just as you 'can't help falling in love' with Elvis, I know you won't be able to resist this peanut butter chocolate banana cheesecake. My deepest congratulations goes to Mr. Zahorec for inspiring our 25th flavor."
Rosen said that in addition to a $2500 cash prize, Zahorec will win a cheesecake a month for a year, including one of the new flavor, of course. And Junior's lovers around the country are also winners because the peanut butter chocolate banana cheesecake will be available for a limited time in Junior's restaurants and by mail order. This limited edition flavor will be available in various sizes through Labor Day.
About Junior's
Since the 1950s, Junior's Restaurant and Bakery in Brooklyn, New York has been famous for great food, great fun, great service, and, of course, the World's Most Famous Cheesecake. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, Junior's Restaurant and Bakery's menu features New York and Brooklyn comfort food dishes ranging from classic New York deli sandwiches piled high, famous 10 oz. steak burgers, salads, jumbo half pound hot dogs, fresh seafood and a full-service bar. For more information, visit juniorscheesecake.com.
Instagram: @JuniorsCheesecake, Facebook: @JuniorsCheesecake
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Junior's | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/viva-las-cheesecake/ | 2023-07-28T22:38:09 | 1 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/viva-las-cheesecake/ |
Storms possible tonight, more pleasant air mass for the weekend
SAGINAW, Mich. (WNEM) - Although quiet now, we are keeping tabs on any storms that do develop this evening as you enjoy your Friday evening plans.
Today is a First Alert Weather Day for the chance of severe storms primarily this evening and early in the overnight. Once the threat passes, while we have some small rain chances this weekend, we do expect it to be dry and pleasant most of the time, with a much more comfortable air mass moving into the region with less humidity!
This Evening & Overnight
Early this evening, the radar is reasonably quiet. We have seen pop-up storms occasionally this afternoon, so while it doesn’t seem like you need to cancel your Friday night plans right this second (as of 5:45 PM), it’s certainly a good idea to keep an eye on things. At the very least, storms that develop will have heavy rain and lightning, so have a back up plan if your number comes up tonight so you can be sheltered.
You can track storms with our First Alert Mobile App or use our Interactive Radar!
Current thinking is early this evening, our severe threat would be more of an isolated threat, with more widespread potential for severe weather along a line of thunderstorms expected to move into the state late tonight from across Lake Michigan.
Based on the information we have now, that line appears to be more of a threat for southwest and west Michigan, off to our south and west. However, thunderstorms don’t always follow projected paths, so we’ll be monitoring the progress of that line all evening long. If it appears we’re in for a change in path, we’ll keep you informed.
Another thing working against a more widespread severe threat would be the unfavorable timing of storms along this line, not being expected until late tonight. Typically, storms arriving late at night don’t have the fuel that they would during the heat of the day. That doesn’t mean we can’t see strong storms at night, but it makes it a bit more of an uphill battle.
If we do see severe storms, we’ll of course alert you on-air as needed, online, on our app, and on social media. The main concern would be damaging wind gusts, along with heavy rain and hail. Tornadoes are not a big concern for our area at this time.
We expect any severe threat to end early in the overnight, by 3 AM or so. Showers may continue, but the threat for anything strong should taper off. Overnight lows will remain mild in the 60s.
Saturday & Sunday
A much cooler and quieter air mass settles in for Saturday and Sunday.
Once rain moves out on Saturday, we should dry out a bit and we’ll have a chance to clear our skies to at least partial sunshine if not better. Highs will be in the 70s, maybe low 80s in places, with a north northeasterly wind around 5 to 15 miles per hour.
There is a chance there could be just enough low-level moisture for an isolated storm to pop up in the afternoon, but that should be a spotty threat, with most areas remaining dry.
Most should remain dry Saturday night, with just a small chance of a shower, with lows eventually falling into the 50s.
Sunday will be fairly similar, with plenty of sunshine and just a small chance for a pop-up shower in the afternoon. Highs on Sunday won’t be much different than Saturday, with mostly 70s expected.
Copyright 2023 WNEM. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/storms-possible-tonight-more-pleasant-air-mass-weekend/ | 2023-07-28T22:38:14 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/28/storms-possible-tonight-more-pleasant-air-mass-weekend/ |
Nicky Lopez Player Prop Bets: Royals vs. Twins - July 28
Published: Jul. 28, 2023 at 4:24 PM CDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
The Kansas City Royals, including Nicky Lopez (.188 on-base percentage in past 10 games, 134 points below season-long percentage), take on starter Sonny Gray and the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium, Friday at 8:10 PM ET.
He had two hits (going 2-for-3 with an RBI) in his most recent appearance against the Guardians.
Nicky Lopez Game Info & Props vs. the Twins
- Game Day: Friday, July 28, 2023
- Game Time: 8:10 PM ET
- Stadium: Kauffman Stadium
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Twins Starter: Sonny Gray
- TV Channel: MLB Network
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -175)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +270)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +180)
Looking to place a prop bet on Nicky Lopez? Check out what's available at BetMGM and use bonus code "GNPLAY" when you sign up with this link!
Discover More About This Game
Nicky Lopez At The Plate
- Lopez is hitting .213 with five doubles, three triples and 20 walks.
- Lopez has gotten at least one hit in 42.1% of his games this season (24 of 57), with more than one hit seven times (12.3%).
- He has not gone deep in his 57 games this season.
- In nine games this season (15.8%), Lopez has picked up an RBI, including two games with multiple runs batted in.
- He has scored in 13 games this season (22.8%), including four multi-run games (7.0%).
Ready to play FanDuel Daily Fantasy? Get in the game using our link.
Nicky Lopez Home/Away Batting Splits
Twins Pitching Rankings
- The Twins pitching staff is No. 1 in the league with a collective 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings.
- The Twins have a 3.79 team ERA that ranks second among all MLB pitching staffs.
- The Twins rank 12th in baseball in home runs given up (116 total, 1.1 per game).
- Gray gets the start for the Twins, his 21st of the season. He is 4-4 with a 3.07 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 111 1/3 innings pitched.
- The righty last pitched on Saturday against the Chicago White Sox, when he went six innings, allowing two earned runs while giving up seven hits.
- This season, the 33-year-old ranks seventh in ERA (3.07), 41st in WHIP (1.284), and 27th in K/9 (8.9) among qualifying pitchers.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/sports/betting/2023/07/28/nicky-lopez-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-28T22:38:16 | 1 | https://www.wibw.com/sports/betting/2023/07/28/nicky-lopez-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
Bay Area man fatally stabbed woman and posted video of it on Facebook, police say
SAN MATEO, Calif. (AP) — A man allegedly stabbed a woman to death in the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday and then posted a video of the slaying to Facebook, authorities said.
The footage helped police track down the suspect, who was later identified as 39-year old Mark Mechikoff. He was arrested about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of where the victim was found dead in a San Mateo apartment complex.
“While the motive for stabbing the victim is still under investigation, we do know Mechikoff mercilessly filmed the last moments of the victim’s life and posted the video to Facebook, then fled the area,” San Mateo police said in a statement.
Prosecutors identified the victim as Claribel Estrella. The San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office on Friday charged Mechikoff with a single count of murder with enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury and the use of a knife.
He appeared in court but did not enter a plea. His arraignment was postponed for a week while his court-appointed attorney is chosen, District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe said in an email.
Mechikoff knew the victim but the extent of their relationship was unclear and the motive was under investigation, the district attorney said.
The stabbing was first reported to the Nye County Sheriff’s Office in Nevada when a caller said she saw video of it on Facebook. The sheriff’s office “pinged” the phone number associated with the Facebook page and traced it to a large San Mateo apartment complex.
It was Mechikoff’s cellphone and his Facebook page and the video apparently has been taken down, the district attorney said.
Officers went door-to-door at the San Mateo apartment complex and found Estrella nearly three hours later inside a unit, authorities said.
Mechikoff was arrested two hours later in San Jose.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/28/bay-area-man-fatally-stabbed-woman-posted-video-it-facebook-police-say/ | 2023-07-28T22:38:33 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/28/bay-area-man-fatally-stabbed-woman-posted-video-it-facebook-police-say/ |
Chris Stapleton surprises girl with a rare backstage meet and greet
(Circle) - Chris Stapleton made a little girl’s dream come true over the weekend.
Stapleton’s 2023 All-American Road Show has kept him on the go, performing night after night, but amongst all the shows, one truly stood out.
At his July 14 concert at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach, Virginia, a heartwarming moment unfolded when a young fan named Lily held up a sign that read, “Will you take a picture with me?”
The simple question seemed to really catch Stapleton’s attention because the girl and her family were escorted backstage after the concert, where they patiently waited for Stapleton and his wife, Morgane, to join them.
In the TikTok video, Morgane asks the young fan if she created the sign. She nods and replies, “Yes,” proudly holding out a guitar pick she had received during the concert before the meet-and-greet.
“Well. We saw your sign, and we said, We’ve gotta do that,” Morgane added.
The fan’s successful meet and greet with Stapleton came as a surprise to many, given his reputation as a private person. He is well-known for his low-key status, rarely participating in interviews, let alone participating in meet and greets.
Stapleton also surprised some fans recently by announcing to the world that he will be releasing his 5th studio album, titled “Higher.”
The upcoming album will mark his first studio release since 2020 when he dropped his fourth studio album, “Starting Over,” which won him a Grammy for Best Country Album.
Originally appeared on Circle All Access. https://www.circleallaccess.com/
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/28/chris-stapleton-surprises-girl-with-rare-backstage-meet-greet/ | 2023-07-28T22:38:39 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/28/chris-stapleton-surprises-girl-with-rare-backstage-meet-greet/ |
Donald Trump appeals judge’s decision to keep hush-money case in New York state court
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump asked a federal appeals court Friday to reverse a federal judge’s decision to keep his hush-money criminal case in a New York state court that the former president claims is “very unfair” to him.
Trump’s lawyers filed a notice of appeal with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan after U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein last week rejected his bid to move the case to federal court, where his lawyers were primed to argue he was immune from prosecution.
U.S. law allows criminal prosecutions to be moved from state to federal court if they involve actions taken by federal government officials as part of their official duties, but Hellerstein ruled that the hush-money case involved a personal matter, not presidential duties.
Trump’s appeal notice came at the end of another busy week of legal action for the twice-indicted Republican as he seeks a return to the White House in next year’s election. On Thursday, he was indicted on new criminal charges in a separate case in federal court in Florida involving allegations that he illegally hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which is prosecuting the hush-money case and fought to keep it in state court, declined to comment on Trump’s appeal.
Trump pleaded not guilty April 4 in state court to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to hide reimbursements made to his longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen for his role in paying $130,000 to the porn actor Stormy Daniels, who claims she had an extramarital sexual encounter with Trump years earlier.
Cohen also arranged for the National Enquirer to pay Playboy model Karen McDougal $150,000 for the rights to her story about an alleged affair, which the supermarket tabloid then squelched in a dubious journalism practice known as “catch-and-kill.”
Trump denied having sexual encounters with either woman. His lawyers argue the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses and not part of any cover-up.
He is scheduled to stand trial in state court on March 25, 2024. In the meantime, his lawyers have asked the state court judge presiding over the case, Juan Manuel Merchan, to step aside, arguing that he’s biased in part because his daughter does political consulting work for some of Trump’s Democratic rivals. Trump has referred to Merchan as “a Trump-hating judge” with a family full of “Trump haters.” The judge has yet to rule on the request.
In seeking to try the hush-money case tried in federal court, Trump’s lawyers have argued that some of his alleged conduct amounted to official presidential duties because it occurred in 2017 while he was president, including checks he purportedly wrote while sitting in the Oval Office.
Moving the case from state court to federal court would have significant legal and practical consequences for Trump. In federal court, for example, his lawyers could then try to get the charges dismissed on the grounds that federal officials have immunity from prosecution over actions taken as part of their official job duties.
A shift to federal court would also mean a more politically diverse jury pool — drawing not only from heavily Democratic Manhattan, where Trump is wildly unpopular, but also from suburban counties north of the city where he has more political support.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/28/donald-trump-appeals-judges-decision-keep-hush-money-case-new-york-state-court/ | 2023-07-28T22:38:46 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/28/donald-trump-appeals-judges-decision-keep-hush-money-case-new-york-state-court/ |
Head-on crash in Lawton sends three to hospital, ambulance en route ends in wreck
LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) - Two separate crashes in Lawton share a connection after an ambulance responding to the first wreck was also hit.
Seven people in total were hurt in these wrecks.
The first crash came through dispatch just before 10-30 this morning, at Northeast 45th and Cache Road. Lawton Police officials tell us a car crossed the center line where they collided with the truck. Three people suffered minor injuries and were taken to the hospital for treatment.
An ambulance responding to that crash was hit shortly after, near 13th and Lee Boulevard this morning. Police tell us a person hard of hearing didn’t hear the sirens and hit the ambulance.
One person was taken to the hospital by ambulance, while three others took their own vehicles to get checked out.
Copyright 2023 KSWO. All rights reserved. | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/28/head-on-crash-lawton-sends-three-hospital/ | 2023-07-28T22:38:52 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/28/head-on-crash-lawton-sends-three-hospital/ |
‘Horrible conditions’: Nearly 30 dogs found dead in freezers; dog rescue owner charged
HAMILTON, Ohio (Gray News) - The owner of a dog rescue in Ohio is facing multiple charges after deputies found animals in unlivable conditions.
Authorities said deputy dog wardens were called to two properties in Butler County regarding a complaint this week.
The team found at least 30 deceased dogs on the properties along with about 90 living animals in “the most horrible conditions they have ever seen.”
According to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Rhonda Murphy, the owner of the properties, was operating a rescue under the name Helping Hands for Furry Paws.
When deputies and investigators searched the structures, multiple dogs’ bodies were found in refrigerators and freezers, with some of the coolers not working.
Other deceased canines were also found on the property, including puppies.
According to investigators, a garage housed about 25 living dogs, but they were kept in cages, some together, with no air conditioning or ventilation in the room. Temperatures were measured to be about 89 degrees inside.
Numerous animals were found without access to food or water, including a mother dog and her eight puppies.
Deputies said the odor was so strong that it burned their eyes and took away their breath as they checked the property.
Additionally, 11 more dogs were found in the main house living in the same deplorable conditions as others found on the property.
“Conditions were so horrendous that dog wardens had to leave the structure numerous times to catch their breath,” the sheriff’s office said.
All dogs were seized from the properties.
Authorities said Murphy is facing dozens of misdemeanor and felony charges that include neglect and cruelty to animals.
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/28/horrible-conditions-nearly-30-dogs-found-dead-freezers-dog-rescue-owner-charged/ | 2023-07-28T22:38:58 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/28/horrible-conditions-nearly-30-dogs-found-dead-freezers-dog-rescue-owner-charged/ |
PROVIDENCE, R.I., July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital Properties, Inc. (OTCQX: CPTP) announced that at its regular quarterly meeting held on July 26, 2023 the Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.07 (seven cents) per share on the Company's outstanding Class A Common Shares (6,599,912) payable on August 25, 2023 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 11, 2023.
About Capital Properties, Inc.
Capital Properties, Inc. and its subsidiary's principal business consist of the long-term leasing of certain of its real estate interests in downtown Providence, Rhode Island for commercial development and the leasing of locations along interstate and primary highways in Rhode Island and Massachusetts for outdoor advertising purposes.
CONTACT:
Susan R. Johnson, Treasurer
401-435-7171
View original content:
SOURCE Capital Properties, Inc. | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/capital-properties-inc-declares-regular-quarterly-dividend/ | 2023-07-28T22:39:04 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/capital-properties-inc-declares-regular-quarterly-dividend/ |
OKLAHOMA CITY, July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- After careful consideration, Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC, investment adviser to the Asian Growth CUBS ETF (the "Fund"), in consultation with Tema Global Limited, the Fund's sub-adviser and sponsor, has recommended, and the Board of Trustees of Exchange Listed Funds Trust has approved, the termination and liquidation of the Fund pursuant to the terms of a Plan of Liquidation. Accordingly, the Fund is expected to cease operations and liquidate on or about August 31, 2023 (the "Liquidation Date").
The Fund will be closed to orders for new creation units on August 29, 2023, and the last day of trading of the Fund's shares on the NYSE Arca, Inc. will be on or about August 30, 2023. From August 29, 2023 through the last day of trading, shareholders may only be able to sell their shares to certain broker-dealers, and there is no assurance that there will be a market for Fund shares during that time period. Customary brokerage charges may apply to such transactions. From the last day of trading through the Liquidation Date, shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell shares in the secondary market.
In anticipation of the liquidation, the Fund will be managed in a manner intended to facilitate its orderly liquidation, such as by raising cash or making investments in other highly liquid assets. As a result, in preparation for the liquidation, all or a portion of the Fund may not be invested in a manner consistent with its stated investment strategy, which may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective.
On or about the Liquidation Date, the Fund will liquidate its assets and distribute cash pro rata to all remaining shareholders. These distributions are taxable events. In addition, these payments to shareholders will include accrued capital gains and dividends, if any. As calculated on the Liquidation Date, the Fund's net asset value will reflect the costs of liquidating the Fund. Once the distributions are complete, the Fund will terminate.
If you would like additional information, please call (833) 833-3177 or visit www.cubsetf.com.
Shares of the Fund are bought and sold at a market price rather than net asset value ("NAV"). Shares of the Fund are not individually redeemed from the Fund. NAV is calculated using prices as of 4:00 PM Eastern Time. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns.
Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Carefully consider the Fund's investment objective, investment strategies, risk factors, charges and expenses before investing. This and additional information can be found in the Fund's prospectus, which may be obtained by visiting www.cubsetf.com. Read the prospectus carefully before investing.
Investments in smaller and mid-sized companies typically exhibit higher volatility. The fund is non-diversified. International investing may involve risk of capital loss from unfavorable fluctuations in currency values, from differences in generally accepted accounting principles, or from economic or political instability in other nations. Emerging markets involve heightened risks related to the same factors as well as increased volatility and lower trading volume. Frontier markets generally have less developed capital markets than traditional emerging market countries, and, consequently, the risks of investing in foreign securities are magnified in such countries. These countries are subject to potentially significant political, social and economic instability, which could materially and adversely affect the companies in which the Fund may invest.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
The Fund is distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC.
View original content:
SOURCE Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/exchange-traded-concepts-close-liquidate-asian-growth-cubs-etf/ | 2023-07-28T22:39:11 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/exchange-traded-concepts-close-liquidate-asian-growth-cubs-etf/ |
SILVER SPRING, Md., July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is providing an at-a-glance summary of news from around the agency:
- On Thursday, the FDA approved Ervebo, a vaccine for the prevention of Ebola virus disease caused by Zaire ebolavirus in individuals 12 months through 17 years of age. Ervebo has been approved for use in individuals 18 years of age and older since December 2019. Cases of Ebola are very rare in the U.S., and those that have occurred have been the result of infections acquired by individuals in other countries who then traveled to the U.S., or health care workers who became ill after treating patients with Ebola.
- On Thursday, the FDA's Mutual Recognition Agreement with Switzerland entered into force, allowing the FDA and Swiss medical product regulatory authority, Swissmedic, to begin relying on each other's factual findings from a good manufacturing practice inspection of a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility.
- On Thursday, the FDA published "Catching Up with Califf:" "An Update on Sesame Allergen Labeling on Food Packages," by Robert M. Califf, M.D., commissioner of Food and Drugs. Sesame was added as the ninth major food allergen earlier this year when the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research Act went into effect. This means sesame is now required to be listed on food labels as a major allergen. The blog provides an update on the work underway to help sesame-allergic consumers find safe food options.
- On Thursday, the FDA announced the fiscal year (FY) 2024 user fee rates for importers approved to participate in the Voluntary Qualified Importer Program, and accreditation and certification bodies interested in participating in the Accredited Third-Party Certification Program. The user fee rates are authorized by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act and allow the agency to assess and collect fees to cover the FDA's cost of administering these programs.
- On Wednesday, the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) issued final guidance for CDER's Program for the Recognition of Voluntary Consensus Standards Related to Pharmaceutical Quality, and launched a new portal to submit standards for potential recognition. Under this program, stakeholders can propose pharmaceutical quality standards for recognition by CDER, providing industry with additional resources for pharmaceutical development and manufacturing. In this CDER Conversation, Pallavi Nithyanandan, director of the Compendial Operations and Standards staff in CDER's Office of Pharmaceutical Quality, outlines the program, explaining how stakeholders can participate and how the program may provide industry with additional resources for pharmaceutical development and manufacturing.
Additional Resources:
Media Contact: FDA Office of Media Affairs, 301-796-4540
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE U.S. Food and Drug Administration | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/fda-roundup-july-28-2023/ | 2023-07-28T22:39:17 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/fda-roundup-july-28-2023/ |
Deputy Insurance Commissioner D.J. Bettencourt said the pet insurance business has grown from the first policy written for Lassie in 1982 to $2.8 billion in premiums to insure more than four million pets in the U.S.
CONCORD — Declaring New Hampshire the “most pet-friendly state in the country,” Gov. Chris Sununu signed Friday a two-prong bill (HB 249) to set model standards for the selling of pet insurance legislation and let restaurant owners have a companion dog on the premises.
Sununu also made state law a permissive bill so emergency medical technicians could deliver injured police dogs to veterinary hospitals in their ambulances (SB 268).
“Pets become family,” said Sununu said of the pet insurance measure.
“This law will provide Granite Staters with peace of mind and opportunity to ensure their pets can receive the best care possible. New Hampshire is continuing to fulfill our promise of being the most pet-friendly state in the country.”
Reps. Jess Edwards, R-Auburn, and Anita Burroughs, D-Glen, co-sponsored this bipartisan bill that has New Hampshire join 13 states to adopt a model act for pet insurance the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) drafted with support of the industry.
“Once a policy has been put into effect, this bill would ensure consumers are given the guarantee that benefits are calculated in a fair way,” Edwards told the Senate Commerce Committee during a hearing last spring.
Cari Lee is director of government affairs and public policy with the North American Pet Health Insurance Association.
“This bill is good for consumers because it mandates robust consumer disclosures -- especially in a growing market, we believe it is important that all consumers receive comprehensive and clear disclosures, so they are provided with the information they need to understand what they are buying no matter which company they purchase from,” Lee said.
D.J. Bettencourt, deputy insurance commissioner said the Veterinarian Pet Insurance Company in 1982 wrote the first policy in the U.S. for Lassie, the lovable and courageous Collie who starred in a TV show.
By the end of 2021, the industry had exceeded $2.8 billion in premiums, he said.
Pet insurance doubled in past five years
This business doubled from 2018-22 with more than 4.4 million pets insured across the country.
“Since pets are treated as property, they are considered a property and casualty product,” Bettencourt said.
This law will standardize definitions of coverage, policy conditions, best practices for training and violations, Bettencourt said.
Elliot Axelman of Hooksett, a past GOP candidate for representative, had opposed the bill on philosophical grounds.
“The government should have no involvement in the free market and certainly should not regulate the pet insurance market,” Axelman said.
The owner of a bed and breakfast asked lawmakers for the second part of this bill after he could not to have animals in the business foyer because it was a shared space.
Dogs are allowed in the restaurant except in the food preparation area of the business.
Bettencourt said the Legislature in 2016 allowed dogs to have similar access, but lawmakers mistakenly struck that section of the law off the books last year.
Lawmakers named the police dog legislation “Max’s Law” in honor of a Portsmouth police canine killed in a training accident.
“Just like the individuals they serve alongside, New Hampshire is standing up to provide for K9 members of law enforcement, search and rescue, and military operations,” Sununu said.
“They put their lives on the line each day for the protection of our communities, and in return, we’re taking action to ensure every resource is available for their health and safety.” | https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/state/sununu-calls-nh-most-pet-friendly-state/article_21006807-b245-5e49-8ce0-d82454258126.html | 2023-07-28T22:39:23 | 1 | https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/state/sununu-calls-nh-most-pet-friendly-state/article_21006807-b245-5e49-8ce0-d82454258126.html |
NEW YORK, July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Official Committee of Talc Claimants (the "Committee"), which has been tirelessly pursuing justice for its constituency of talc victims' injury by Johnson & Johnson's ("J&J's") talc products, is pleased with the court's decision to dismiss the second bankruptcy attempt. We believe the decision of the Honorable Chief Judge Kaplan was thoughtful, well-reasoned, and well-supported by the facts and law. This outcome now frees tens of thousands of victims to seek their justice through the tort system either before juries of their peers or by settlement on terms acceptable to them. The Committee has consistently contended the tort system is the rightful place for these claims to be resolved. Today's ruling validates the Committee's belief that J&J manipulated the bankruptcy system by using the "Texas Two-Step" legal maneuver and wrongfully sought to manufacture financial distress in its "Legacy Talc Liabilities" (LTL) Management subsidiary, solely to carry out a bad faith bankruptcy case. The company will now face the full weight of its conduct in the appropriate judicial forums.
"This ruling sends a clear message: multibillion-dollar, wholly solvent companies like J&J should not be allowed to use and in fact abuse bankruptcy laws to avoid accountability," said Brown Rudnick's David Molton, one of the co-counsels representing the Committee. "We are reassured by the Bankruptcy Court's reaffirmation that it will not allow solvent corporations to abuse the system and impose coercive, low-value and cram-down solutions on nonconsenting claimants. Justice should and now will triumph over corporate greed and legal chicanery."
"The claimants have waited long enough. Untold numbers of cancer victims have died while Johnson & Johnson attempted to manipulate the bankruptcy system to limit its liabilities," added Molton. "Now victims and their families can seek justice through the tort system – by presenting their case before a jury of their peers in courts of their own choosing."
The TCC filed its motion to dismiss on April 24, 2023, alongside several other movants, including the Office of the United States Trustee, numerous State Attorneys General, and other plaintiff groups, who shared a vision for this outcome. Chief Judge Kaplan's Opinion can be viewed on the case docket, available at: https://document.epiq11.com/document/getdocumentbycode?docId=4202926&projectCode=LCN&source=DM
About The Official Committee of Talc Claimants
The Official Committee of Talc Claimants (TCC), appointed by the Office of the United States Trustee (UST), an arm of the US Department of Justice, represents and acts as a fiduciary for all mesothelioma and ovarian cancer victims, as well as all subrogation claimants who have claims based on or derivative to the victims' talcum powder claims. For more information about the TCC, please view our website at https://www.ltltalccommittee.org/
The TCC is advised by counsel, an investment banker, a financial advisor, and claims estimation experts well-versed in mass tort, asbestos, talc, bankruptcy, and victim advocacy. These entities include Genova Burns L.L.C., Brown Rudnick L.L.P., Otterbourg PC, Massey & Gail L.L.P., Miller Thomson L.L.P., MoloLamken L.L.P., Compass Lexecon, FTI Consulting, and Houlihan Lokey.
Media Contact
questions@ltltalccommittee.org
View original content:
SOURCE Official Committee of Talc Claimants | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/official-committee-talc-claimants-applauds-decision-dismiss-ltl-management-second-bankruptcy-attempt/ | 2023-07-28T22:39:24 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/official-committee-talc-claimants-applauds-decision-dismiss-ltl-management-second-bankruptcy-attempt/ |
Bedford leaders want to build a new safety complex on South River Road that would give the growing town a second fire station and meet the town’s needs for at least the next 30 years.
Voters in March are expected to vote on the project, which is currently being designed and cost estimated. An estimated price tag is expected to be unveiled in October, according to Assistant Town Manager Jeanne Walker.
If approved, the combined police and fire complex at 300 South River Road would open in late 2025 or early 2026, she said.
“The Bedford Police and Fire Departments have outgrown their current facility, resulting in safety and operational issues with the building,” Walker said Friday. “A new facility provides solutions to these issues and provides EMS coverage in an area where most calls happen."
Plans call for a one-story building measuring 44,000 square feet with primary access from Cedarwood Drive and secondary access via a driveway on South River Road.
“What would happen is we would create a very elaborate driveway that encircles the Consignment Gallery,” Walker said.
Police would occupy about 24,000 square feet, a fire substation would use about 10,000 square feet with the final 10,000 square feet to be used for shared space and a covered parking/impoundment area.
“The fire department needs a substation in the South River Road area to improve response times for over 29% of its (total town) calls,” according to a question-and-answer sheet posted on the town’s website. “Both departments are currently using workarounds to get the job done, but the additional efforts are unsustainable and not economically responsible.”
The South River Road area includes high density housing, assisted living complexes and a large commercial area.
Last month, the town announced it had purchased 12 acres of land for $2.445 million, using money from the town’s facilities capital reserve fund.
That property includes the former A.P. Horne Nursery and the MacEwen home, as well as outbuildings that will be removed.
“Reasonably priced tracts of land are becoming increasingly difficult to find in this area,” the Q-and-A said. “The property itself is an investment and should the project not go forward, it could be resold.”
The current safety complex at 55 Constitution Drive was designed as general office space and retrofitted when the police and fire departments moved there in 1994.
Since that time, the town’s population has doubled to more than 23,700 and the number of police calls for service has surged fivefold to 43,291 last year. Fire/EMS calls are three times higher than what they were in 1994.
The town master plan in 2000 detailed the need to address emergency calls in the South River Road area. A bond proposal for a fire substation in 2014 garnered 56.7% approval but fell short of the two-thirds yes-vote needed.
The new safety complex would require 60% approval in the March vote.
The town’s construction management firm, Fulcrum Associates, along with architects from Lavallee Brensinger Architects hired to design the complex, presented plans to the town council this month.
According to plans, the central fire station would remain at the current complex, which is 32,000 square feet, to answer calls from the western parts of towns. The building department and public works administration also would stay. The planning department would move there to centralize permitting activity.
“I am excited that the town has been able to take this vital first step in solving our emergency response needs that will help ensure the safety and value of Bedford for decades to come,” William Carter, chair of the Bedford Town Council, said in a statement. | https://www.unionleader.com/news/safety/bedford-looking-to-build-new-safety-complex-vote-eyed-for-march/article_6bdfa405-dc5d-548b-87be-0f327653685f.html | 2023-07-28T22:39:29 | 1 | https://www.unionleader.com/news/safety/bedford-looking-to-build-new-safety-complex-vote-eyed-for-march/article_6bdfa405-dc5d-548b-87be-0f327653685f.html |
EAST HARTFORD, Conn., July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, continues to receive positive support for various F135-related program items on the path toward finalizing the 2024 appropriations bill. On July 27, the Senate Appropriations Committee, led by Chairman Jon Tester (D-MT) and Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-ME), passed a bipartisan bill that included:
- $497 million for the development of the F135 engine core upgrade (ECU), the DoD's chosen F-35 engine modernization effort.
- $264 million above the President's budget request for F135 engine spares and repair parts.
- A prohibition against integrating any alternate engine on any F-35 variant.
- $280 million for the development of future engine technology that could be used on 6th generation tactical aircraft.
"I want to personally thank Senators Tester and Collins for their leadership on this effort, because it's essential to ensuring our limited DoD funds go to the most urgent, high-priority needs," said Jeff Shockey, senior vice president of RTX Global Government Relations. "I also want to express my gratitude to the Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and the entire Connecticut and Maine delegations for their support and advocacy."
The F135 supports nearly 55,000 jobs across 41 states and more than 260 domestic suppliers. In March 2023, the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy chose to upgrade the F135 versus replace it with an entirely new engine. The decision was announced as part of the administration's 2024 budget proposal.
"The Senate Appropriations Committee's full funding of the Engine Core Upgrade program, its addition of $280 million for future-generation propulsion technologies, and language prohibiting integration of an alternate engine on any F-35 variant are critically important," said Jill Albertelli, president of Military Engines at Pratt & Whitney. "Our collective focus should be on maximizing the performance of all three variants of the F-35, while prioritizing the advancement of sixth-generation solutions that serve our highest, most urgent national defense priorities."
About Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units. To learn more visit prattwhitney.com. To receive press releases and other news directly, please sign up here.
About RTX
RTX is the world's largest aerospace and defense company. With more than 180,000 global employees, we push the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. Through industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we are advancing aviation, engineering integrated defense systems for operational success, and developing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2022 sales of $67 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
Pratt & Whitney
+1 (860) 565-9600
media@prattwhitney.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE RTX | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/pratt-amp-whitneys-f135-engine-receives-full-funding-support-senate-appropriations-committee/ | 2023-07-28T22:39:31 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/pratt-amp-whitneys-f135-engine-receives-full-funding-support-senate-appropriations-committee/ |
A low-level tornado that tracked 15 miles from West Swanzey to Dublin on Thursday toppled trees and power lines and stripped siding from a school, but caused no reported injuries, the National Weather Service reported.
The low-intensity twister, the result of layers of atmosphere spinning in opposite directions, carved a path parallel to Route 101, snapping trees in half and uprooting others, and damaged solar arrays at a small solar farm, according to an NWS storm survey team that toured the area Friday.
The EF-1 tornado touched down in Dublin around 2:30 pm and brought winds up to 90 to 95 miles per hour, forecasters said. Tornadoes are rated on a scale of 0 to 5, and those rated EF-0 to EF-1 typically cause property damage but don't threaten lives, a weather forecaster said.
On July 27 the weather service was eyeing worrisome storm conditions that were developing in Cheshire and Sullivan counties, where most of New Hampshire's tornadoes occur, forecaster Sarah Thunberg said.
"Yesterday we knew ahead of time that the atmosphere was producing fast rotation in the lower atmosphere, which specifically contributes to a tornado. We were watching for storms to rotate and lightning to pick up," Thunberg said. Warnings went out in time. "It went as well as it could with everyone getting to safety in time. We were very lucky,"
According to weather service survey teams, the damage was mostly downed trees. A school in Dublin lost siding. Trees and a small light post were blown over on school property.
Warm air building at the surface coupled with wind at different directions in different layers starts the circling pattern. Any thunderstorm, given enough instability, could develop a tornado, Thunberg said.
Sullivan and Chesire counties are at greater risk because they're less influenced by ocean air, which cools down surface temperatures. "That particular area is where a lot of prerequisite conditions line up," Thunberg said.
Last year, low-level tornadoes occurred in Chesterfield and Spofford. In 2008, a much stronger EF-2 tornado tracked 50.2 miles from Northwood to the New Hampshire-Maine border at Fryeburg, Maine..
Thunberg said there are currently no weather conditions in New Hampshire that would produce another tornado. With rain and cooler temperatures expected Saturday, no tornadoes are predicted, Thunberg said.
The New Hampshire Department of Safety's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management provides guidelines for severe weather.
"Yesterday's tornado along with recent thunderstorms and flash flooding serve as a reminder to residents and visitors to be prepared," said the division's director, Robert Buxton. "Stay informed, have a plan and make a kit. If a warning is issued in your area of the state, take action." | https://www.unionleader.com/news/safety/dublin-area-tornado-on-thursday-carves-a-path-of-damage-but-not-injuries-were-reported/article_8a436b10-1766-5462-9d3a-2e7b1bd85823.html | 2023-07-28T22:39:35 | 1 | https://www.unionleader.com/news/safety/dublin-area-tornado-on-thursday-carves-a-path-of-damage-but-not-injuries-were-reported/article_8a436b10-1766-5462-9d3a-2e7b1bd85823.html |
LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA, July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In an unprecedented collaborative endeavor, Slovenia's Ministry of Environment, Climate and Energy, in partnership with Global Footprint Network, announces a critical date for the planet: this year's Earth Overshoot Day lands on August 2nd.
The date, calculated by Global Footprint Network each year using National Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts, marks when humanity's demand for biological resources exceeds the Earth's capacity to regenerate them within that year. To spotlight this issue, the Ministry and Global Footprint Network are organizing a high-level event on August 1st, held in Ljubljana and online, to discuss the implications of overshoot. The high-level event enjoys support from key figures including President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28 and IUCN President Razan Al Mubarak, and Co-Chair of the International Resource Panel at UNEP Dr. Janez Potočnik.
"Slovenia, as the first EU country, joins the ranks of countries such as Ecuador, Japan, the Philippines, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates, leveraging Ecological Footprint data and officially endorsing the metric as a useful tool to steer environmental policy," affirms Bojan Kumer, Slovenia's Minister of the Environment, Climate and Energy. He further elucidates that efforts to reduce Slovenia's Ecological Footprint by 20% by 2030 will spur greater opportunities for the country amid a future marked by climate change and resource constraints.
Razan Al Mubarak notes the Ecological Footprint's utility, "With this metric in hand, any country, region, city, or company can assess its current standing and determine how it can contribute to postponing this date (Earth Overshoot Day)." It provides valuable insights for forward-thinking strategies that address resource security and enable the transition towards a sustainable economy.
Earth Overshoot Day coincides with the European Parliament's recent vote on the Nature Restoration Law. The persistence of overshoot has led to land and soil degradation, fish stock depletion, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and greenhouse gas accumulation. These symptoms are becoming more prominent every day across the planet, with unusual heat waves, wildfires, droughts, and floods, exacerbating the competition for food and energy.
"The biggest risk, apart from ecological overshoot itself, lies in complacency towards this crisis. Entities that act now are not just safeguarding the environment but future-proofing their economy and the wellbeing of their residents," underlines Steven Tebbe, CEO of Global Footprint Network.
Contacts
Watch event https://video.sta.si/
View original content:
SOURCE Republic of Slovenia Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/slovenias-ministry-environment-climate-energy-global-footprint-network-host-high-level-event-mark-earth-overshoot-day-2023/ | 2023-07-28T22:39:37 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/slovenias-ministry-environment-climate-energy-global-footprint-network-host-high-level-event-mark-earth-overshoot-day-2023/ |
Berlin's conservative mayor ran on a pledge to stand up for car drivers against encroachment from bicyclists. But bike-riders have pushed back, forcing the government to backpedal.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Berlin's conservative mayor ran on a pledge to stand up for car drivers against encroachment from bicyclists. But bike-riders have pushed back, forcing the government to backpedal.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.kasu.org/2023-07-28/cyclists-and-car-drivers-in-berlin-fight-over-road-space | 2023-07-28T22:39:42 | 1 | https://www.kasu.org/2023-07-28/cyclists-and-car-drivers-in-berlin-fight-over-road-space |
Tampa General is recognized nationally in the top 100 of the Best Employers for Women list and ranks #1 among Best Employers for Women in Florida in the Healthcare and Social category.
TAMPA, Fla., July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital has been named one of America's Best Employers for Women by Forbes for 2023, ranking in the top 100 of organizations nationally and as the Best Employer for Women in Florida in the Healthcare and Social category. The academic health system is also ranked #3 overall in the state. Tampa General has been included on Forbes America's Best Employers for Women list every year since 2020.
"The health and well-being of our team at Tampa General is our top priority and critical to our success as an organization as well as our ability to provide the highest level of care to our community and beyond. We continue to nurture a human-centered culture that both empowers everyone to be their whole, authentic selves at work and ensures every individual feels seen, heard and valued," said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital. "As an academic health system, we are committed to prioritizing not only the personal and professional development of all team members through education opportunities, but we also work to ensure that they have all the support they need."
Forbes partnered with the market research company Statista to identify organizations committed to the advancement of women in and out of the workplace. More than 60,000 American employees were surveyed, including 40,000 women working for companies employing at least 1,000 people within the United States. Survey responses were evaluated against various criteria, including atmosphere and development, image, working conditions, workplace, diversity, family support, flexibility, representation and pay equity.
Tampa General routinely gauges the needs of team members through annual evaluations conducted by a third-party professional survey company.
"When we talk about providing world-class care at Tampa General, that includes taking care of our team members as well as our community," said Qualenta Kivett, executive vice president and chief people and talent officer at Tampa General Hospital. "To make this a reality, our academic health system embodies a culture of belonging and fairness. Our steadfast commitment to our team members' growth and well-being is essential to recruiting and retaining high-quality and diverse talent, which results in better experiences and outcomes for the patients we serve."
Aligning with Tampa General's culture focused on helping all team members thrive personally and professionally, the academic health system has developed and continues to introduce new programs and initiatives that provide support to women team members such as:
- Flexibility: Tampa General offers a competitive time-off policy as well as remote working options and flexibility for part-time positions. Over the past two years, the academic health system's team members have increasingly expressed a desire for part-time work schedules and those have been accommodated through offering seasonal contracts and part-time opportunities, where possible.
- Growth and Development: In addition to competitive tuition reimbursement, skills reimbursement and scholarships, Tampa General also offers free access to career, leadership and personal development through courses in Organizational Development, such as Crucial Conversations. Through clinical and non-clinical ladders, the academic health system also offers structured systems to advance career development while the team member remains in a current position.
- Health, Wellness and Benefits: Along with competitive medical benefits, team members receive access to wellness activities and fitness tracking through a free app, an on-site gym and online classes through the TGH Fitness Center. The academic health system also provides free access to virtual behavioral health support that provides access to a trained mental health counselor within 72 hours. It is also available to dependents with TGH insurance. Additionally, there is a team member lounge in the hospital that includes massage chairs to allow team members to decompress.
- Family Support: An on-site daycare center provides families with an education and development curriculum for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Understanding that family support looks different for every team member, through the TGH Foundation, the academic health system offers an annual school supply giveaway, which includes computers and an emergency fund to support team members in crisis. Other support includes gas cards to team members when gas prices skyrocketed, as well as grants to help team members rebuild their homes after sustaining hurricane damage. Tampa General offers a generous maternity leave package. All team members who give birth are guaranteed 12 weeks of job-protected leave post-delivery, regardless of whether they qualify for Family Medical Leave (FMLA) or have exhausted their FMLA entitlement for the year. In addition, Tampa General provides several options to team members needing financial assistance, including ATO leave sharing and short-term disability. TGH also provides a supportive environment to enable breastfeeding team members to express milk during work hours. Private lactation rooms or designated nursing space is available throughout the hospital and every TGH location.
- People Development Institute: Tampa General has invested heavily in the continued education and professional development of all team members with programs such as its People Development Institute (PDI), which offers classes through a partnership with the University of South Florida (USF) Muma College of Business at no charge. Among the program's most impactful success stories are those of women who have leveraged PDI offerings to broaden their career horizons. One example is Stephanie Jackson, who started as a parking attendant at Tampa General and pursued advanced degrees and PDI courses to become a director for the academic health system.
- AKTiVe Leadership Initiative: Through the PDI program, the AKTiVe Leadership Initiative involves all TGH leaders in their leadership development. The AKTiVe Leadership Model embodies four qualities of leaders: Authenticity, Kindness, Transparency and Vulnerability. When enacted through the behaviors of leaders, these qualities create a positive environment for leaders, team members and patients.
- LEAD TGH: LEAD (Leadership, Enrichment and Development) TGH provides a platform for emerging leaders to share ideas, overcome challenges and foster personal and professional development. The free program spans 12 months and creates career pathways while identifying future leaders.
- Modern Advances in Leadership: Facilitated through the University of Tampa's Sykes College of Business, the series provides transformative and interactive learning experiences to advance the skills of current and future leaders.
Inclusion on the Forbes America's Best Employers for Women list is the latest among several high-profile recognitions for Tampa General for its supportive work environment:
- Forbes' Best Employers for New Graduates (Top 20) – May 2023
- Becker's Hospital Review's 150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare – April 2023
- Glassdoor's Employee's Choice Award – January 2023
- Newsweek's America's Greatest Workplaces for Diversity – January 2023
- Forbes' America's Best Employers by State (Top 10 Employer in Florida) – August 2022
ABOUT FORBES
Forbes champions success by celebrating those who have made it, and those who aspire to make it. Forbes convenes and curates the most influential leaders and entrepreneurs who are driving change, transforming business and making a significant impact on the world. The Forbes brand today reaches more than 140 million people worldwide through its trusted journalism, signature LIVE and Forbes Virtual events, custom marketing programs and 32 licensed local editions in 71 countries. Forbes Media's brand extensions include real estate, education and financial services license agreements. For more information, visit the Forbes News Hub or Forbes Connect.
ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL
Tampa General Hospital, a 1,040-bed, not-for-profit, academic health system, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report's 2022-23 Best Hospitals, and is tied as the third highest-ranked hospital in Florida, with seven specialties ranking among the best programs in the United States. Tampa General Hospital has been designated as a model of excellence by the 2022 Fortune/Merative 100 Top Hospitals list. The academic health system's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by two prestigious Forbes magazine rankings – in the top 100 nationally in the 2023 America's Best Employers for Women and sixth out of 100 Florida companies in the 2022 America's Best Employers by State. Tampa General is the safety net hospital in the region, caring for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and in fiscal year 2021, provided a net community benefit worth more than $224.5 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education, and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is one of the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With six medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center, and its 32-bed Neuroscience, Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Brandon Healthplex, TGH Virtual Health, and 21 TGH Imaging powered by Tower outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics. To see a medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone, tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital (tgh.org). As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is the first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that provides real-time situational awareness to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost. For more information, go to www.tgh.org.
Media Contact: Beth Hardy, APR
Senior Communications Specialist
(727) 510-6363 (cell)
ehardy@tgh.org
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Tampa General Hospital | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/tampa-general-hospital-named-one-americas-best-employers-women-2023-by-forbes/ | 2023-07-28T22:39:44 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/tampa-general-hospital-named-one-americas-best-employers-women-2023-by-forbes/ |
This was the week when they postponed the Emmys. It was the week when box office success brought renewed interest in the fact that Barbie will have lots of company. And it was the week when we remembered a great voice.
Here's what the NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour crew was paying attention to — and what you should check out this weekend.
Barbie
The movie that's sweeping everyone is Barbie and I have made that my entire personality for the next few weeks. Pink, everything. No, it was the most unexpected film for me this year. Everyone keeps telling me, "this is such a feminist movie." But I'm like, "no, it's just reality." It's just telling it like it is. I really appreciated the story that [Greta Gerwig] told, and it just really impacted me as a woman, as a mom, as a writer, and really think I'm more than what I was made for. -- Laura Sirikul
Praise Petey
Praise Petey is an animated comedy series that just started streaming on Freeform. It's about a young New York woman who takes over from her father as head of a bloodthirsty religious cult, but with a very millennial, girlboss energy and a lot less ritual murder. It has very good jokes and a spectacular voice cast: Annie Murphy, John Cho, Alfred Molina, Christine Baranski, Stephen Root. This show was made for me. -- Glen Weldon
Sinéad O'Connor
I wish this were something that was making me happy, but I didn't want this episode to go by without praising the legacy of Sinéad O'Connor, the wonderful singer who died this week at 56. She dealt with a lot of trauma and controversy in her life but I want to talk about her music. A lot of the coverage has focused on "Nothing Compares 2 U," a Prince song that she turned into a massive hit in 1990. She had amazing music before and after that. In particular from her first album, The Lion and the Cobra, the single "Mandinka." I was I was 15 in 1987 when the song came out and it absolutely blew my mind.
I also wanted to point out a song from 2014 from the album I'm Not Bossy, I'm the Boss, called "Take Me to Church." It was very sad to revisit it in the aftermath of her death, because this is a song about fighting. To hear her embracing growth, I think speaks to a lot of what her lifelong search was all about. She was hopping from ice floe to ice floe. It reminded me to stop and celebrate the music that she made, which was really important. -- Stephen Thompson
More recommendations from the Pop Culture Happy Hour newsletter
by Linda Holmes
I had mixed feelings about the Max series Full Circle, but I have nothing but positive feelings about the great work Kathryn VanArendonk did at Vulture digging into why Dennis Quaid has a French braid in it.
Frequent PCHH panelist Chris Klimek is hosting a new podcast for Smithsonian magazine called There's More To That, which brings to bear the resources of the Smithsonian to look at history and the world. The first two episodes are about — what else? Barbie and Oppenheimer.
Laura Lippman's new book Prom Mom tells the story of a couple of high school kids who experience a tragedy and then encounter each other again many years later. I don't want to say too much more about it than that, but it both fascinated me and surprised me over and over.
Barbara Campbell adapted the Pop Culture Happy Hour segment "What's Making Us Happy" for the Web. If you like these suggestions, consider signing up for our newsletter to get recommendations every week. And listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kasu.org/arts-culture/2023-07-28/whats-making-us-happy-a-guide-to-your-weekend-listening-and-viewing | 2023-07-28T22:39:49 | 1 | https://www.kasu.org/arts-culture/2023-07-28/whats-making-us-happy-a-guide-to-your-weekend-listening-and-viewing |
World's Longest Elevated Pedestrian Loop
Now Open
APPLE VALLEY, Minn., July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Minnesota Zoo Treetop Trail, the world's longest elevated pedestrian loop, is now officially open to the public. The 1.25-mile Treetop Trail takes guests to new heights – up to 32 feet above the ground - as they travel into the trees and gain new perspectives of many Zoo animals, including tigers, moose, bison, and camels. The Treetop Trail will be open year-round for guests to experience Minnesota's four seasons.
Minnesota Lieutenant Governor, Peggy Flanagan, helped kick off the historic grand opening by proclaiming it "Minnesota Zoo Treetop Trail Day" in the state in front of an enthusiastic crowd of nature, animal, and zoo lovers.
"The Minnesota Zoo has always been a special place for our family. By creating new opportunities to get outdoors and encouraging Minnesotans of all ages to take new perspectives, the Treetop Trail is a treasure and a true gift to Minnesotans," said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. "The Treetop Trail takes us one step closer to making Minnesota the best state for kids and families – for generations to come. I'm grateful to everyone who put their time, energy, and care into making this vision a reality."
In his opening remarks, Minnesota Zoo Director John Frawley proclaimed that the Treetop Trail is a gift for Minnesotans. "The Treetop Trail will provide an accessible and immersive pathway to nature for all ages, abilities, backgrounds, and communities."
Opening appropriately on World Nature Conservation Day (July 28), the Treetop Trail reaffirms the Minnesota Zoo as a worldwide leader in wildlife conservation and as a trusted nature destination. The Minnesota Zoo opened in 1978 with a mission to connect people, animals, and the natural world to save wildlife.
"For the last 45 years, the Zoo has done a tremendous job connecting people and animals. The Treetop Trail allows us to reimagine the traditional zoo experience and further the connection between people and the natural world," said Frawley.
The Treetop Trail gives guests year-round access to hundreds of acres of hardwood forest, ponds and marshes, and the diverse wildlife that calls Minnesota home. And, of course, a bird's eye view for bird watchers. It adds more than 70,000 square feet to the Zoo and includes 22 bump-out overlooks to enhance the viewing experience while walking the trail.
Integrating into the Minnesota Zoo's original monorail track, which opened in 1979 and was retired in 2013, the Treetop Trail is the ultimate reuse construction project. Planning began in June 2018 and a ceremonial groundbreaking was held in April 2022. "Thanks to the full support from our Boards, legislative and government champions, as well as the philanthropic community, we have secured $39 million in public and private partnership to support our Step Into Nature campaign and this transformational project," said Frawley.
The Zoo contracted with award-winning Snow Kreilich Architects; engineering firm Buro Happold (known for its work on the High Line in New York City); TEN x TEN Landscape Architecture and Urbanism; and construction partner, PCL. Together, they have been committed to minimizing disruptions to the Zoo's animals and guests before, during, and after construction of the trail.
The Minnesota Zoo would like to express profound gratitude to the following for their support of the Treetop Trail: State of Minnesota, K.A.H.R. Foundation, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Target, Best Buy Foundation, Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation, Flint Hills Resources, and hundreds of individual donors.
To learn more about the Minnesota Zoo's Treetop Trail, please visit mnzoo.org/treetoptrail.
Background and assets can be found here: Minnesota Zoo Treetop Trail Assets.
About the Minnesota Zoo
The Minnesota Zoo is a year-round destination providing a window into the natural world. With hundreds of species of animals, worldwide conservation efforts, and acres of scenic beauty, the Zoo is a resource to connect people, animals, and the natural world to save wildlife. The Minnesota Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and an institutional member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). For more information visit mnzoo.org.
About the Minnesota Zoo Treetop Trail
The 1.25-mile Treetop Trail at the Minnesota Zoo is the world's longest elevated pedestrian loop. An inspired repurposing of the Zoo's original monorail trail, the path brings guests up to 32 feet above the ground providing them a bird's eye view and access to hundreds of acres of hardwood forest, wetlands, wildlife, and, of course, the Zoo's beloved animals. The mission of the Treetop Trail is to provide a year-round, welcoming, and accessible journey into nature for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities through self-guided experiences as well as special events and programming. mnzoo.org/treetoptrail
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Minnesota Zoo | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/treetop-trail-raises-minnesota-zoo-new-level/ | 2023-07-28T22:39:50 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/treetop-trail-raises-minnesota-zoo-new-level/ |
More Than 1,175 Higher Education Workers Gain Teamster Representation
OAKLAND, Calif., July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Workers at the University of California (UC) have joined Teamsters Local 2010. The 1,175 newest members of Local 2010 in Oakland will now bargain for higher pay, reduced benefit costs, overtime pay, job security, and respect in the workplace.
"It's great to be represented again! I feel secure knowing someone is fighting for us to receive better pay and protect our rights," said Azalia Maldonado, a facilities management specialist at UC Berkeley.
"I'm so happy to be a Teamster again!" said Michelle Belden, a research administrator at UC Davis who was Teamster Shop Steward in her previous job of Blank Assistant 4 in the CX Unit. "There is power in our solidarity."
"I am excited to be a part of a strong union that advocates for members' rights and interests," said Patricia Passalacqua, an ambulatory care administration coordinator at UC San Diego. "All of the Teamsters' hard work and tenacity is evident. Knowing we have the support of Teamsters from all industries to help us protect our rights has lifted a weight off our shoulders. I look forward to connecting with other members in the future."
Workers in the titles of Ambulatory Care Administration Coordinator, Facilities Management Specialist, Health Professional Education Specialist, and Research Administrator had been misclassified by the UC in an effort to deny union-negotiated wages and benefits, including the right to strike. The Public Employment Relations Board issued unit modification orders on June 22, 2023.
The newly organized workers will join more than 16,000 administrative, paraprofessional, and skilled trades workers who provide critical public services at every University of California and California State University campus, medical center, and laboratory throughout the state, as well as 1.2 million Teamster members in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, with Public Services being one of the largest Teamster divisions.
"Teamsters Local 2010 welcomes our new sisters and brothers," said Jason Rabinowitz, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 2010. "We are especially pleased that they will immediately see the benefits of being Teamsters — guaranteed raises that are higher than those for non-union workers, this year and every year of our contract — plus all the rights at work and benefits of Teamster representation."
The group will soon assemble a bargaining team to begin the bargaining process for salary ranges, step placement, on-call and shift differential pay, as well as other bonus eligibility and pay.
Teamsters Local 2010 is a union of 15,000 hardworking employees in California higher education. We are affiliated with the 1.2 million-member International Brotherhood of Teamsters, representing members throughout the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. We stand together to win better wages, benefits, and working conditions. We strive to protect workers' rights through direct action and determined labor representation.
Contact
Aimee Baror, (213) 220-0538
abaror@teamsters2010.org
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Teamsters Local 2010 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/university-california-workers-join-teamsters-local-2010/ | 2023-07-28T22:39:57 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/university-california-workers-join-teamsters-local-2010/ |
The actors strike might cause the Emmys to delay its planned September broadcast. It would be the first such delay since the Emmys were postponed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001.
Copyright 2023 NPR
The actors strike might cause the Emmys to delay its planned September broadcast. It would be the first such delay since the Emmys were postponed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.kasu.org/arts-culture/arts-culture/2023-07-28/hollywood-strikes-may-cause-the-emmys-to-delay-its-planned-september-broadcast | 2023-07-28T22:39:59 | 1 | https://www.kasu.org/arts-culture/arts-culture/2023-07-28/hollywood-strikes-may-cause-the-emmys-to-delay-its-planned-september-broadcast |
Arts & Culture Hulu's 'The Fool' gives a working class perspective of life in Los Angeles By Gabriel J. Sánchez, Sarah Handel Published July 28, 2023 at 4:48 PM CDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 4:16 Comedian and actor Frankie Quiñones talks about the second season of the show This Fool, now streaming on Hulu. Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.kasu.org/arts-culture/arts-culture/2023-07-28/hulus-the-fool-gives-a-working-class-perspective-of-life-in-los-angeles | 2023-07-28T22:40:01 | 0 | https://www.kasu.org/arts-culture/arts-culture/2023-07-28/hulus-the-fool-gives-a-working-class-perspective-of-life-in-los-angeles |
This month, members of the mid-Columbia River tribes set off from Oregon on an annual intertribal canoe journey to Seattle. It's especially poignant this year after a three-year hiatus due to COVID.
Copyright 2023 NPR
This month, members of the mid-Columbia River tribes set off from Oregon on an annual intertribal canoe journey to Seattle. It's especially poignant this year after a three-year hiatus due to COVID.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.kasu.org/arts-culture/arts-culture/2023-07-28/intertribal-canoe-trip-from-oregon-to-seattle-will-set-out-for-first-time-since-covid | 2023-07-28T22:40:02 | 1 | https://www.kasu.org/arts-culture/arts-culture/2023-07-28/intertribal-canoe-trip-from-oregon-to-seattle-will-set-out-for-first-time-since-covid |
NPR's Juana Summers talks with MIT Technology Review climate and energy reporter Casey Crownhart about her latest reporting on innovations in air conditioning technology.
Copyright 2023 NPR
NPR's Juana Summers talks with MIT Technology Review climate and energy reporter Casey Crownhart about her latest reporting on innovations in air conditioning technology.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.kasu.org/environment-infrastructure/environment-infrastructure/2023-07-28/a-c-bill-high-this-summer-cool-innovations-promise-more-efficient-air-conditioning | 2023-07-28T22:40:02 | 1 | https://www.kasu.org/environment-infrastructure/environment-infrastructure/2023-07-28/a-c-bill-high-this-summer-cool-innovations-promise-more-efficient-air-conditioning |
Junior's Rolls Out a Dessert Fit for The King: Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana is Winner of National Cheesecake Day Flavor Contest
BROOKLYN, N.Y., July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Elvis Presley is the original rock 'n' roll legend, and Junior's is the original cheesecake legend. So, it is more than appropriate that peanut butter chocolate and banana – inspired by Elvis' favorite sandwich -- is now the newest limited edition Junior's cheesecake flavor, the result of a national flavor contest held in the lead-up to National Cheesecake Day, this coming Sunday, July 30.
Out of more than 5,000 entries across the country, Thomas Zahorec, from Greenville, South Carolina, channeled his inner King when submitting the winning flavor.
"Elvis had his numerous number one hits, and we have ours," said Alan Rosen, owner of Junior's. "So, I can't think of a better way to celebrate National Cheesecake Day than by creating this new flavor to honor the King, himself. Because just as you 'can't help falling in love' with Elvis, I know you won't be able to resist this peanut butter chocolate banana cheesecake. My deepest congratulations goes to Mr. Zahorec for inspiring our 25th flavor."
Rosen said that in addition to a $2500 cash prize, Zahorec will win a cheesecake a month for a year, including one of the new flavor, of course. And Junior's lovers around the country are also winners because the peanut butter chocolate banana cheesecake will be available for a limited time in Junior's restaurants and by mail order. This limited edition flavor will be available in various sizes through Labor Day.
About Junior's
Since the 1950s, Junior's Restaurant and Bakery in Brooklyn, New York has been famous for great food, great fun, great service, and, of course, the World's Most Famous Cheesecake. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, Junior's Restaurant and Bakery's menu features New York and Brooklyn comfort food dishes ranging from classic New York deli sandwiches piled high, famous 10 oz. steak burgers, salads, jumbo half pound hot dogs, fresh seafood and a full-service bar. For more information, visit juniorscheesecake.com.
Instagram: @JuniorsCheesecake, Facebook: @JuniorsCheesecake
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Junior's | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/viva-las-cheesecake/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:04 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/viva-las-cheesecake/ |
Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. said in an interview published Friday that Congress has no authority to impose an ethics policy on the Supreme Court, and he hinted that other justices share his view.
“I know this is a controversial view, but I’m willing to say it,” Alito said. “No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court — period.”
Asked if other justices agree, Alito replied: “I don’t know that any of my colleagues have spoken about it publicly, so I don’t think I should say. But I think it is something we have all thought about.”
Allegations of ethics breaches among the justices and reports of luxurious vacations paid for by private benefactors — including a fishing trip to Alaska for Alito — have put the court in the spotlight recently. Last week the Senate Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to advance the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act, which seeks to impose on the court disclosure rules as strict as those governing members of the House and the Senate.
It is unusual for a justice to comment so definitively on the constitutionality of legislation, especially when bills are under consideration, and any law that is passed could come before the court.
The Journal article, headlined “Samuel Alito, the Supreme Court’s Plain-Spoken Defender,” was notable for another reason: It was written in part by David B. Rivkin Jr., a Washington lawyer well-known in conservative legal circles, who has an upcoming case before the court. Rivkin parenthetically disclosed that in the piece, writing that he and his law partner Andrew Grossman represent a couple in Moore v. U.S., a tax dispute the Supreme Court will hear in the coming term.
Rivkin and Journal editorial features editor James Taranto noted that Alito has now spoken with them “on the record for four hours in two wide-ranging sessions,” one in April in Alito’s chambers and the other in early July in the Journal’s New York offices.
The court granted Rivkin’s petition to hear Moore v. U.S. at the end of June.
As the subject of Supreme Court ethics has taken a more urgent tone, it has also acquired a partisan sheen, with Republicans saying the call for stronger ethics and disclosure rules is a ploy to delegitimize an increasingly conservative court because liberals disagree with its decisions. That division seems to doom the ethics bill’s chances in the Senate, and there is no interest among Republican leaders of the House in pushing such legislation.
Constitutional scholars who testified before the Senate committee split on the role Congress may play in prescribing the ethical responsibilities of a separate branch of government, although there is no dispute about Congress’s authority regarding federal courts below the Supreme Court.
Two prominent constitutional experts — conservative former federal judge J. Michael Luttig and liberal Harvard legal scholar Laurence Tribe — said Congress has the power to impose a code of conduct for Supreme Court justices, but it cannot order the high court to come up with rules on its own.
Others similarly point out that Congress does impact aspects of the Supreme Court: It controls the budget, and has required the high court to hear certain classes of disputes and allowed the court’s discretion about others.
But Michael Mukasey, who served as attorney general under President George W. Bush and also served as a federal judge, disagreed with Luttig and Tribe. “A law compelling the court to adopt such a code, or purporting to impose one legislatively, would violate the principle of separation of powers, and would also be unworkable inasmuch as there is no authority other than the justices themselves to apply such a code,” he testified.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. declined the committee’s request to appear to talk about the bill, saying that in most instances it was inappropriate for the head of one branch of government to testify before another. He said in May that he was “committed to making certain that we as a court adhere to the highest standards of conduct. … And I am confident that there are ways to do that consistent with our status as an independent branch of government and the Constitution’s separation of powers.”
He has not publicly mentioned the topic since then.
Alito, one of the most conservative justices on the court, has increasingly turned to the Wall Street Journal editorial page this year to explain himself to the public.
In between his two interviews with Rivkin and Taranto, the justice published a preemptive op-ed defending himself against a ProPublica report that detailed his relationship with billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Singer, including their trip on a private jet to an Alaskan fishing resort in 2008. Singer’s hedge fund came before the court 10 times in cases involving business disputes after that trip, ProPublica said.
Alito did not answer questions from the ProPublica reporters, instead writing in that op-ed that he did not know that Singer was involved in the cases before him and did not disclose the trip because he considered it personal hospitality exempt from reporting requirements.
In Friday’s piece, Alito said, “I marvel at all the nonsense that has been written about me in the last year.”
He said he expected the organized legal community to defend him and other justices. “But that’s just not happening. And so at a certain point I’ve said to myself, nobody else is going to do this, so I have to defend myself.” | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/28/alito-ethics-supreme-court-congress/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:20 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/28/alito-ethics-supreme-court-congress/ |
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Central Valley Fuego FC unveiled a new half-million dollar training facility at Fresno Adventist Academy Thursday.
The club says it sets a new standard for soccer development giving both the first team and academy squads the chance to train.
"Right now, if you're a good player you're going north, you're going south, you're going anywhere but here," Fuego FC managing partner Juan Gerardo Ruelas Jr. said. "We want to change that narrative and say if you're good you're good enough to play here."
Fuego FC aims to have a full-time academy training at the new facility by next year. | https://abc30.com/central-valley-fuego-fc-new-training-facility-soccer/13564864/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:20 | 1 | https://abc30.com/central-valley-fuego-fc-new-training-facility-soccer/13564864/ |
Know These Signs of Heatstroke and What to Do if Someone Near You Has It
The Labor Department is calling for employers to step up their protection of workers exposed to extreme heat. Here's what to know about heatstroke.
Near the end of a record-breaking month of high temperatures, the US Department of Labor on Thursday issued a heat hazard alert as a reminder to employers to protect workers exposed to extreme heat. Among other populations -- like older adults, young children, people who are less mobile and those with certain health conditions -- people whose jobs keep them outside or in extreme heat are more susceptible to heat illness. That includes heatstroke, which can be fatal and is the most serious form of heat-related illness.
Heatstroke can happen because of overexertion or strenuous activity, but "classic" heatstrokes occur when someone is exposed to a hot environment and their body temperature rises to dangerous levels. Most fatal heat illnesses happen in workers during the first few days of working in warm or hot weather, according to the Labor Department, because the body's had no time to acclimate to the increased temperature.
We see heatstroke "particularly among the elderly, in very young children, like babies, and when we see these heat waves that go on for several days," said Dr. Korin Hudson, an emergency room physician with MedStar Health.
Here's what to know if you or someone near you starts experiencing symptoms of heatstroke.
Read more: Is It Heatstroke or Heat Exhaustion?
Heatstroke symptoms
Sometimes, heatstroke can start with symptoms of heat exhaustion, which isn't quite as serious as heatstroke, but still requires someone to cool down as quickly as possible. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include nausea, headache, cold skin, a fast or weak pulse and other signs. If left untreated, heat exhaustion can progress to heatstroke, which is a medical emergency. If your symptoms worsen, last more than one hour or you start vomiting, call 911.
Symptoms of heatstroke, according to the Mayo Clinic and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, include:
- Altered mental state, including confusion, agitation and slurred speech.
- Hot, flushed, usually dry skin (however, if your heatstroke was brought on by exercise, it may be slightly moist, the Mayo Clinic says).
- Headache.
- Seizures.
- Very high body temperature (104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher).
- Rapid breathing.
- Racing heart beat.
1. Call 911
Having heatstroke is a medical emergency that requires professional care.
If there's more than one person around to aid the person suffering heatstroke, Hudson advises that one person call 911 while the other helps the victim through the steps below.
2. Get to a cooler area immediately
If you're around someone who has heatstroke, move them to a cooler area, such as a nearby air-conditioned room or into the shade.
Both are good options, but "try to move them out of the heat as quickly as possible," Hudson says. The goal is to cool down the body's core temperature.
3. Take off excess clothing
Removing long sleeve shirts, pants or other clothing will help a person cool down faster. Hudson says the goal is to reach "evaporative cooling," and clothing can prevent evaporation.
(For people who choose to run in layers in order to "sweat off weight," says Hudson, you probably shouldn't. It's dangerous and can lead to heatstroke.)
4. Hold ice, cold towels or cool water to the skin
If you have something like a cold towel or water bottle, put it on your or the other person's neck, armpits or groin. While you wait for help to arrive, you can even spray them with cold water or put them in a cold shower -- anything to cool them off. In fact, cold water immersion or an ice bath is one treatment for heatstroke that doctors may use at the hospital.
But don't give a drink to someone experiencing heatstroke, the CDC says. This is different advice than for someone who's experiencing heat exhaustion, which typically comes before heatstroke. While someone with heat exhaustion may be given sips of water or sports drink, a person experiencing heatstroke may be confused, lose consciousness or have an altered state of consciousness.
"Because they have a depressed or altered level of consciousness, it may affect their ability to swallow safely, so it's probably better not to give them anything to eat or drink," she says.
Check on your neighbors
Some people are more susceptible to heat illness and heatstroke, such as older adults, younger children, people with mobility issues, certain health conditions and those taking certain medications, including common drugs like blood pressure or antidepressant medications.
In case of a heat wave, be especially mindful to check in with your elderly neighbor down the hall, or a friend who has trouble getting around, according to Hudson.
"This is the time that we really suggest people check on their neighbors," she said. "Especially in places where people don't have access to air conditioning or don't have a way to get someplace cool."
"They may be feeling poorly but can't do anything about it," Hudson added. | https://www.cnet.com/health/medical/know-these-signs-of-heatstroke-and-what-to-do-if-someone-near-you-has-it/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:20 | 1 | https://www.cnet.com/health/medical/know-these-signs-of-heatstroke-and-what-to-do-if-someone-near-you-has-it/ |
Environment & Infrastructure A postcard from Guatemala's Lake Atitlán By Lilly Quiroz Published July 28, 2023 at 3:36 PM CDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 2:42 NPR's Lilly Quiroz brings us a postcard from Guatemala about Lake Atitlán, considered to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.kasu.org/environment-infrastructure/environment-infrastructure/2023-07-28/a-postcard-from-guatemalas-lake-atitlan | 2023-07-28T22:40:23 | 1 | https://www.kasu.org/environment-infrastructure/environment-infrastructure/2023-07-28/a-postcard-from-guatemalas-lake-atitlan |
President Biden is sharply escalating his criticism of Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, highlighting his blockade of military nominations and using him to criticize other right-wing Republicans he characterizes as extreme, obstructionist and willing to jeopardize the country’s national security.
“Something dangerous is happening,” Biden said Thursday night, speaking at the Truman Civil Rights Symposium. “The Republican Party used to always support the military, but today, they are undermining the military. The senior senator from Alabama, who claims to support our troops, is now blocking more than 300 military [nominations] with his extreme political agenda.”
For months, Tuberville has refused to let the Senate proceed on votes for any military nominations unless the Defense Department changes its policy of providing travel expenses for service women seeking an abortion. The policy is a backdoor way for the Pentagon to facilitate even late-term abortions, Tuberville argues, saying last week on the Senate floor that “anyone who calls themselves pro-life needs to stand up and be counted right now.”
Biden, arguing that Tuberville is holding America’s military readiness hostage to an ideological agenda, has targeted Tuberville with growing frequency in recent weeks, mentioning him at fundraisers and in economic addresses and tweets. He often highlights the impact of Tuberville’s blockade in general terms, but on Thursday night got more specific.
The president noted that Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., an F-16 pilot and the first African American to lead any branch of the Armed Services, will become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff if Tuberville lifts his hold. Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the second woman in the Navy to achieve the rank of four-star admiral, would make history as the first woman as chief of naval operations.
“Tens of thousands of America’s daughters and sons are deployed around the world tonight keeping us safe from immense national security challenges. But the senator from Alabama is not,” Biden said. “For the first time in more than 100 years, we don’t have a sitting confirmed commandant of the Marine Corps.”
Tuberville’s blockade, he said, is harming military readiness and troop morale, while disrupting the lives of hundreds of top personnel who do not know if their promotions will go through and if they will need to move their families. Biden decried “a growing cascade of damage and disruption, all because of one senator from Alabama — and 48 Republicans who refuse to stand up to him to lift the blockade.”
Tuberville has argued in the past that the Pentagon caused the problem by deciding to make its own law on abortion, liberally funding service women’s ability to get the procedure while imposing few limitations. And Steven Stafford, communications director for Tuberville, said that the attacks from Biden only serve to boost the senator in his home state, where Biden lost to Trump by 25 points in 2020.
“Joe Biden is the least popular president since Jimmy Carter,” Stafford said. “He is no position to attack anyone.”
Tuberville’s hold has taken on increasing significance in the military, where the promotions of more than 250 generals and admirals are currently on hold. If Tuberville does not release his hold, the number of stalled military promotions is expected to rise to more than 650 by the end of the year as additional officers are identified for elevation but are unable to step into new jobs because of the blockade.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has cast the hold this month as a readiness issue that “creates friction throughout the entire chain” and “disadvantages families,” including children whose transfer to new school districts may be affected. “I would imagine our adversaries would look at something like this and be pretty happy that we create this kind of turbulence within our force,” Austin said.
Among the institutions directly affected are the Marine Corps, whose top officer, Gen. David Berger, retired this month. Biden has nominated Gen. Eric Smith, the Corps’s assistant commandant, to take the top job, but Smith is for now serving in an acting capacity, effectively doing his current and prospective jobs at the same time.
The Marines have not operated without a confirmed commandant in more than 100 years, Austin noted at a ceremony this month marking Berger’s departure. “Smooth and timely transitions of confirmed leadership are central to the defense of the United States, and to the full strength of the most powerful fighting force in history,” Austin said.
The Army, Navy and Air Force are all expected to face similar predicaments in coming weeks unless Tuberville relents or reaches a deal with the White House. Gen. Randy George, the vice chief of staff of the Army, is expected to take over his service on an acting basis next week, with Franchetti and Gen. David Allvin nominated by Biden to lead the Navy and Air Force, respectively, beginning this fall.
Asked about Tuberville’s hold during his confirmation hearing this month, Brown, who is in line to chair the Joint Chiefs of Staff, avoided attacking the Alabama senator directly, but he warned that the standoff jeopardizes morale and could result in some service members returning to civilian life rather than dealing with the uncertainty.
“We will lose talent because of those challenges,” Brown said. “The spouse network is alive and well, and the spouses will compare notes. The member may want to serve, but the spouses and the family get a huge vote.”
There is little indication the standoff will end anytime soon. Tuberville on Friday sent a letter to Austin with questions about the abortion policies, requesting answers by Sept. 1. “Since the policy’s implementation and despite my numerous requests, the DOD has refused to provide basic information on the utilization of this policy,” he wrote.
Tuberville has found himself in the midst of other controversies as well. Earlier this month, he appeared to be advocating for white nationalists to serve in the military, denying they were racist and characterizing them on CNN as people with “a few probably different beliefs.” He later retracted that statement.
Democrats have hammered Tuberville with increasing ferocity, accusing him of betraying America’s military, subjecting service members to undue hardship and putting the country’s security at risk. Some of his colleagues have sought to convince Tuberville to allow an up-or-down vote on changing the Pentagon’s policy, but he would likely lose such a vote, and has refused to go along.
Tuberville is taking advantage of a senator’s right to object to any presidential nomination, which forces the chamber to hold a drawn-out confirmation procedure that can take several hours. Each military nomination receives a total of three hours of debate on the floor and, with hundreds of nominations pending, that would tie up the Senate for weeks or months.
“Yes, every senator has enormous power,” Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said on the Senate floor earlier this week. “I could probably block the defense bill this week if I wanted to. But I won’t. And you know why? Because I’m not a maniac.”
Following Thursday’s passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which governs U.S. defense policy, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) took to the floor to defend Tuberville, calling Democrat-led attacks on the Alabama senator “defamatory” and “downright misleading.”
“These attacks against Sen. Tuberville have been relentless … all because he’s chosen to take a stand,” Lee said, calling Tuberville’s blockade a legitimate exercise of senatorial authority.
Lee said that Tuberville had given Austin fair warning that “there will be consequences” if the Defense Department continued to reimburse travel expenses for servicewomen to obtain abortions, and he cast Tuberville’s subsequent follow-through as a reasonable result.
The Biden-Tuberville clash is only one example of cultural battles now seeping into the national security arena, which in the past has been notably bipartisan. The House version of the NDAA includes provisions to roll back Pentagon policies on abortion access and gender-affirming care, for example, teeing up a clash with the Senate, whose version does not include those measures.
Lee and other Republicans contend it is the Biden administration that is being “extreme” by unilaterally deciding to cover the costs of women who travel to obtain abortions. The Pentagon’s policy is “a temper tantrum” reacting to the recent Supreme Court ruling decision overturning abortion rights, Lee said.
Biden ran for president on a promise of bipartisanship, and early in his tenure especially he limited his harsh rhetoric about the GOP as he courted a handful of Republicans to help enact his agenda. But he has also periodically focused on individual Republicans as emblematic of the extreme views he sees within the GOP, often making a point of distinguishing them from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and others he sees as honorable adversaries.
Last year, Biden’s target was often either Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) or Ron Johnson (R-Wis.). He regularly cited their proposals that he argued would jeopardize programs like Social Security and Medicare.
This year, Biden has held up Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) as an example of “extreme MAGA” Republicans, highlighting her shout of “Liar!” at him during the State of the Union address. “This is not your father’s Republican Party,” Biden often says.
But as of late, Tuberville has become the go-to antagonist for Biden. His criticisms are largely rooted in the senator’s blockade of military nominations, but they also extend to Tuberville’s reluctance to denounce white nationalists and his position on Biden’s economic legislation.
In another era, Biden might have prided himself on being able to work with a senator like Tuberville. During his 36-year career in the Senate, Biden often boasted of being able to do business with senators from the South, at times remarking on how Delaware had some similarities with their states.
During a news conference in Helsinki earlier this month, he called the senator’s position on military holds “ridiculous.” On another occasion, Biden referred to him as “a former coach of a winning football team” or, less charitably, as “the former football coach from Alabama, who was a better coach than he’s a senator.”
“What Senator Tuberville is doing is not only wrong — it is dangerous,” he said in a statement.
The White House has even distributed memos on Tuberville’s positions, and the senator’s name comes up frequently during White House press briefings.
In another era, Biden might have prided himself on being able to work with a senator like Tuberville. During his 36-year career in the senate, Biden often boasted of being able to do business with senators from the South, at times remarking on how Delaware had some similarities with their states.
“I’d be willing to talk to him if I thought there was any possibility of him changing this ridiculous position he has. He’s jeopardizing U.S. security by what he’s doing,” Biden said in Helsinki. “I don’t ever recall that happening, ever … I mean, I’m confident that the mainstream Republican Party no longer — does not support what he’s doing. But they’ve got to stand up and be counted. That’s how it ends.”
Leigh Ann Caldwell contributed to this report. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/28/biden-tuberville-military-clash/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:25 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/28/biden-tuberville-military-clash/ |
PORSTMOUTH, N.H. -- A New Hampshire man celebrating his birthday on the ocean with his three daughters captured video of something so rare that even marine scientists are jealous - three humpback whales leaping from the water in near perfect unison.
"It was such an uplifting thing to see. Just incredible," Robert Addie said.
The Portsmouth man, now a home remodeler, spent decades on the water as a commercial fisherman in Massachusetts and Alaska.
In that time, he said he's seen thousands of whales.
But he never witnessed anything like Monday's whale encounter on a tuna fishing trip off Cape Cod.
The excursion with his daughters was for his 59th birthday, as well as to celebrate his safe return from a humanitarian aid trip to Ukraine where he came under heavy artillery fire.
During the fishing trip, he was trying to film some humpback whales about 300 yards (275 meters) from their boat and was having no luck, until he got what he called a "whale ballet."
"A triple breach is unheard of and a synchronized triple breach is even rarer," he said. "It's once in a lifetime.
Just very fortunate. I feel God shined down on me to allow me to to capture that."
To add to the thrill, seconds after the three whales breached and twisted through the air, a juvenile whale did the same thing. Whale experts later told Addie that the aerial maneuvers may have been an attempt to remove parasites or aid digestion.
He has another theory: "I have a feeling that maybe they were teaching or training" the younger whale.
Those same experts also know how rare the spectacle was.
"Even some of the whale experts that have reached out to me, they're all jealous because they've never seen it," Addie said. | https://abc30.com/humpback-whales-jump-in-unison-cape-cod/13563917/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:25 | 0 | https://abc30.com/humpback-whales-jump-in-unison-cape-cod/13563917/ |
OSCEOLA, Iowa — On his first day back on the trail after shaking up his presidential campaign, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took a question here from a voter who, like many of the attendees at his events here, said she was still deciding whom to support.
First, DeSantis offered his “blue-collar” background, working minimum-wage jobs and serving in the military. Second, he pointed to his “record of accomplishment in office,” rattling off legislation to expand school choice, ban abortion, protect gun rights and limit socially responsible investing.
“I don’t consider myself to be an entertainer,” DeSantis (R) concluded, implicitly referencing the polling front-runner, former president and reality TV star Donald Trump. “I’m a leader. And that’s what you get for me, somebody that will deliver results.”
The exchange captured the challenge facing DeSantis here and across the early nominating calendar: convincing Republicans to peel off from the celebrity who is running functionally as the incumbent and has enraptured the party for approaching a decade, and distinguishing himself from a crowded field as the best-qualified successor. It also showed DeSantis’s inclination to try to counter Trump’s star power and visceral allure with a whirlwind of wonky, right-wing policy positions — a strategy that some of DeSantis’s own aides are now acknowledging is better suited to wealthy donors and extremely online influencers than for average GOP primary voters.
In an interview afterward, Kooiker said she liked DeSantis’ answer but remained undecided. “We got very used to the entertainment level of Trump, when you agreed with him a lot, he was very funny,” she said. “I don’t feel DeSantis was grabbing my attention that way. Probably Mr. DeSantis personally doesn’t appear really gregarious. We don’t need an entertainer in the White House really.”
Two months into his White House bid, DeSantis has had to lay off staff, curb campaign spending, open up more to reporters and embrace his underdog status — planning a reset to refocus on the economy and foreign policy and spend, less time talking about Florida, according to people familiar with the strategy, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly. The people described a campaign struggling to find a clear and effective message and often in conflict with its allied super PAC, Never Back Down.
“It’s clear the national media has already pre-written Ron DeSantis’ political obituary — just like they did in 2018, during the pandemic, and numerous other times he defied their flawed narrative,” DeSantis spokesperson Andrew Romeo said in a statement Friday. “The media, national polling, nor the political class decide who the Republican nominee is — voters do, and they’re excited about Ron DeSantis’ candidacy and his vision for the Great American Comeback.”
DeSantis — emboldened by his legislative and electoral success in Florida — entered the campaign confident in his political instincts and way of conducting himself, leading to frustration among advisers who found him difficult to persuade, the people said. He shunned extensively edited scripts in favor of improvising his own remarks, lacking the typical form or features of stump speeches.
And despite the campaign reset, DeSantis over the past week has maintained a combative posture with reporters and kept emphasizing culture war issues, such as defending Florida’s new state standards for teaching Black history, which said that “slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”
That wording drew rebukes from Black Republicans including Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who is also running for president. Scott told reporters at a campaign event Thursday that “there is no silver lining” in slavery. When asked to respond on Friday, DeSantis shot back, “Part of the reason our country has struggled is because D.C. Republicans all too often accept false narratives, accept lies that are perpetrated by the Left.”
DeSantis — who was slated to speak Friday night alongside other candidates at an Iowa GOP dinner — set to deliver an economic address in New Hampshire next week, where he will spend the weekend attending smaller events. Some of his supporters in early states said they don’t see the need for a drastic change in strategy, emphasizing that it’s still early in the race.
“Iowans right now are kicking the tires. I don’t know that he needs to do anything other than what he’s doing to turn it around,” state Senate president Amy Sinclair, who has endorsed DeSantis, said after his speech in Osceola in Thursday. “He’s not Donald Trump dynamic. Who is? But that’s why it’s important to get in front of people and let them ask questions so that they understand that you don’t have to be this larger-than-life personality to do a better job of getting the job done.”
New Hampshire House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, who has also endorsed DeSantis, acknowledged the needle DeSantis has to thread, wanting to remain appealing to Trump supporters while also offering his own pitch as an alternative.
“Unlike your typical candidate, the former president does have this coalition of support that’s very devoted to just him as a person rather than his ideas or an agenda or a vision for the future or anything like that,” Osborne said. “Unlike your typical candidate, you can’t attack anything about him without rubbing these supporters the wrong way.”
Trump has made DeSantis nearly the sole focus of his attacks on the campaign trail. In a radio interview with right-wing host John Fredericks Friday, he went so far as to suggest that the Florida governor get out of the race for the “good of the party,” predicting that DeSantis would be “superseded by somebody else.”
The DeSantis campaign pointed to his high favorability ratings with Republican primary voters and how many of them are still undecided to argue there’s room to grow. But the Trump campaign views that same data point as a point in its favor, because voters who like both candidates are tending to choose Trump.
“Those who have an opinion of both overwhelmingly choose Donald Trump. That’s where the race is now, and that’s where the race will be in January, period, end quote,” Trump campaign strategist Chris LaCivita said. “He’s trying to run to the right of Trump or he’s trying to be Trump without the baggage — that’s not a message. New Coke fell flat.”
A recent University of New Hampshire survey found DeSantis with 23 percent support in the Granite State and Trump at 37 percent, among likely GOP primary voters. Fox Business polls in mid-July found DeSantis at 16 percent support in Iowa and 13 percent in South Carolina. Polls from Monmouth University found that among Republican voters, DeSantis’ favorability has fallen from 80 percent in February to 65 percent this month, while his unfavorable ratings have tripled from 6 percent to 18 percent. Trump is at 77-18 favorable-unfavorable, little changed from earlier this year.
During a donor retreat in Park City, Utah, campaign manager Generra Peck told attendees that the campaign had spent too much of the money it had raised, but said it was changing course, according to one DeSantis supporter.
“Clearly, there have been some missteps in the beginning as far as hiring too much and spending too much,” the supporter said. “That’s the biggest concern. I think at the donor retreat she did a good job of alleviating a lot of concerns by explaining this shift in strategy in spending and acknowledging that it was a mistake and it’s being corrected.”
DeSantis’s latest swing through Iowa coincided with the layoffs earlier this week and the pullback in campaign event spending, leading to a bus tour produced by Never Back Down, a pro-DeSantis super PAC instead. The campaign and super PAC have traded harsh critiques over each other’s social media posts, ads, events and spending habits, leading to multiple instances of the two groups publicly contradicting or undermining each other.
“From Day One, Never Back Down’s mission has been to organize and support the grassroots movement behind Governor Ron DeSantis’ run for president and to effectively communicate the Ron DeSantis story,” said Never Back Down Chief Operations Officer Kristin Davison in a statement. “Our grassroots operation is light-years ahead of everyone else and we remain focused on amplifying his message through door-knocking — having already knocked 1 million doors nationwide — collecting caucus commitments, robust advertising, and hosting events for Governor DeSantis to attend as a special guest.”
Romeo pointed to an earlier statement that said the campaign is “nothing but grateful for groups like Never Back Down that are also working to support this mission.”
But in acknowledging changes to campaign spending, DeSantis rejected the idea that his message or strategy needed rethinking.
“That’s a process part,” he told Sirius XM host Megyn Kelly in an interview that aired Friday. “That’s not about message and that’s not about getting out there with voters. That’s about how you’re applying resources to the campaign headquarters versus the early states. So that’s been taken care of, but, ultimately, that is not what’s going to be determinative in the race.”
Some Republican strategists argue that DeSantis does need to start drawing a clearer contrast with Trump.
“Their big problem wasn’t they had too many people. It’s that they have no consistent message and no clear strategy to win,” said Terry Sullivan, who managed Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s GOP presidential campaign in 2016. “Donald Trump, whether you like it or not, is the incumbent, at least for the nomination. They need to provide a fireable offense and a reason why they are better qualified to do the job. Full stop.”
The persistent attachment to Trump was evident with many attendees at DeSantis’s events around central Iowa on Thursday. Dan Brewer clapped enthusiastically during parts of DeSantis’s speech in Chariton, but afterward described himself as “still a Trump man.”
“Trump’s my guy,” he said. “If something were to happen to Trump, then I suppose I’d choose DeSantis, God forbid.”
Hannah Knowles and Scott Clement contributed to this report. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/28/desantis-campaign-reboot-iowa/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:26 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/28/desantis-campaign-reboot-iowa/ |
Why You Can Trust CNET
Advertiser Disclosure
Advertiser Disclosure
CNET editors independently choose every product and service we cover. Though we can’t review every available financial company or offer, we strive to make comprehensive, rigorous comparisons in order to highlight the best of them. For many of these products and services, we earn a commission. The compensation we receive may impact how products and links appear on our site.
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited
The Chase Freedom Unlimited has a tiered rewards structure and more perks, but the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card's competitive flat rewards rate is great for users looking for simplicity.
true
https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/credit-cards/reviews/wells-fargo-active-cash-card-vs-chase-freedom-unlimited/ | https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/credit-cards/wells-fargo-active-cash-card-vs-chase-freedom-unlimited/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:26 | 1 | https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/credit-cards/wells-fargo-active-cash-card-vs-chase-freedom-unlimited/ |
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Three men have been arrested in connection to a Fourth of July southwest Fresno shooting that injured two women and a 9-month-old baby.
The shooting happened just after 11 p.m. on Garrett and Bardell avenues.
When they arrived, they found the baby, her 28-year-old mother, and her 50-year-old grandmother with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.
Detectives determined the shooting stemmed from a party where 40-50 people were in attendance.
Multiple suspected fired more than 50 rounds at a person believed to be a rival gang member.
The two women and baby were outside watching fireworks when the suspects opened fire and detectives determined they did not have any association with anyone involved in this incident.
After searching six search warrants at six locations within the city of Fresno on July 27, police arrested 30-year-old John Major (left), 36-year-old Desmond Roddy (center) and 28-year-old James Oliver for their involvement in the shooting.
All three were arrested on charges including three counts of assault with a deadly weapon, willful cruelty to a child and gang enhancement charges.
The video above is from an earlier story and will be updated.
Stay with ABC30 for the latest details on this developing story. | https://abc30.com/southwest-fresno-triple-shooting-women-and-baby-shot-garrett-bardell/13564946/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:27 | 0 | https://abc30.com/southwest-fresno-triple-shooting-women-and-baby-shot-garrett-bardell/13564946/ |
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Friday that he didn’t mean he’d put longshot Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in charge of the Food and Drug Administration or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when the Republican candidate said earlier this week that he’d “sic” the political family scion on the agencies. Instead, he said, he would want Kennedy, an anti-vaccine advocate, to work on a bipartisan panel charged with holding the federal government accountable for the response to the covid-19 pandemic.
“The word I use is, like, you know, lets sic [Kennedy] on these agencies, you know, to hold them accountable. And that would be part of being kind of outside the agency and getting answers and bringing accountability to bear,” DeSantis told “The Megyn Kelly Show" in a clip released on Friday.
DeSantis’ comments attempted to clarify what he said in an interview with OutKick’s Clay Travis earlier this week. When Travis asked the Florida governor if he wanted Kennedy to be his vice-presidential running mate, DeSantis rejected the idea but added, “If you’re president, sic him on the FDA if he’d be willing to serve — or sic him on CDC.”
“It wouldn’t be [that] he’s the head of the CDC,” DeSantis underscored to Kelly on Friday, adding that Kennedy’s role would be “outside the agency getting answers and bringing accountability to bear.”
The Republican governor’s embrace of Kennedy — who earlier this month advanced a dangerous conspiracy theory that the coronavirus could have been a bioweapon “deliberately targeted” to spare Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people — highlights a wedge issue where DeSantis may be attempting to dramatically split away from his rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, former president Donald Trump.
Early in the pandemic, DeSantis repeatedly praised Trump for the expedited development and rollout of a coronavirus vaccine and his office pushed for $480 million in pandemic resources. He also lauded the Biden administration for helping to expand access to vaccines. But a December 2022 Washington Post review of DeSantis’s public positions on the vaccines shows a full reversal that has unfolded gradually since 2021.
In a DeSantis presidential administration, the governor told Kelly, the CDC and FDA would be run by “doctor, PhD type(s),” like Stanford University professor of medicine Jay Bhattacharya, “who was right on covid.”
Bhattacharya was among a group of scientists who early in the pandemic, under Trump administration, argued that authorities should allow the coronavirus to spread among young healthy people while protecting the elderly and the vulnerable. The controversial approach to rely on achieving “herd immunity” by infecting people rather than via vaccination was embraced by one of Trump’s covid advisers, Scot Atlas. But experts at the time warned that adopting the strategy could lead to a significant loss of life.
In his interview with Kelly, DeSantis took aim at lockdown restrictions’ impact on children’s’ education and the economy, as well as a frequent conservative foe — former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Anthony S. Fauci. But he also criticized the passage of the Cares Act, a $2 trillion legislative package signed into law in March 2020 by Trump, who is also vying for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Lena H. Sun contributed to this report. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/28/desantis-says-his-administration-would-sic-rfk-jr-federal-health-agencies/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:27 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/28/desantis-says-his-administration-would-sic-rfk-jr-federal-health-agencies/ |
SEATTLE -- Taylor Swift fans are in their record-breaking era.
After two nights of Earth-shaking dancing at Swift's Seattle "Eras" tour concert at Lumen Field, enthusiastic Swifties caused seismic activity equivalent of a 2.3-magnitude earthquake, according to seismologist Jackie Caplan-Auerbach.
The "Swift Quake" has been compared to the 2011 "Beast Quake," when Seattle Seahawks fans erupted after an impressive touchdown by running back Marshawn "Beast Mode" Lynch. The ensuing celebration was detected on the same local seismometer as the Swift concert, Caplan-Auerbach told CNN.
Caplan-Auerbach, who works as a geology professor at Western Washington University, saw the comparison in a Pacific Northwest earthquake group she moderates on Facebook and immediately got to work.
"I grabbed the data from both nights of the concert and quickly noticed they were clearly the same pattern of signals," she said, adding, "If I overlay them on top of each other, they're nearly identical."
The main difference between the July 22 and July 23 shows, aside from the surprise songs Swift is known to perform, makes up roughly 26 minutes. "I asked around and found out the Sunday show was delayed by about half an hour, so that adds up" Caplan-Auerbach said.
While the magnitude difference between "Beast Quake" and "Swift Quake" is only 0.3, Caplan-Auerbach said the Swifties have the Seahawks fans beat. "The shaking was twice as strong as 'Beast Quake'. It absolutely doubled it."
"The primary difference is the duration of shaking," Caplan-Auerbach explained. "Cheering after a touchdown lasts for a couple seconds, but eventually it dies down. It's much more random than a concert. For Taylor Swift, I collected about 10 hours of data where rhythm controlled the behavior. The music, the speakers, the beat. All that energy can drive into the ground and shake it."
CNN's Chloe Melas, who attended one of Swift's Seattle concerts, shared her observations and experiences as a concertgoer. "Going to Taylor's concert in Seattle was unlike anything I've ever experienced," she said. "You could literally feel the ground shaking beneath your feet. My ears are still ringing."
Even Swift herself felt the energy from her West Coast Swifties, and thanked her Seattle audience in an Instagram post on Monday for "all the cheering, screaming, jumping, dancing, singing at the top of your lungs."
"That was genuinely one of my favorite weekends ever," she added.
Swift's Seattle concerts come as she nears the end of the domestic run of her "Eras" tour, her first tour in five years. Along the way, the singer has been credited for boosting local economies and breaking an attendance record in Pittsburgh, among many other feats.
The "Eras" tour heads to Santa Clara in Northern California on Friday, and continues with six shows in Los Angeles next month to cap off her U.S. tour run. Swift then goes international with "Eras," beginning with a show in Mexico City on August 24.
The-CNN-Wire & 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://abc30.com/taylor-swift-concert-earthquake-lumen-field-seattle-swifties-quake/13564231/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:28 | 1 | https://abc30.com/taylor-swift-concert-earthquake-lumen-field-seattle-swifties-quake/13564231/ |
Ever wanted to hang out with Woody Harrelson? Well, here's your chance.
The Union Solidarity Coalition is hosting an auction to support film crew members who are at risk of losing their health care benefits due to the ongoing Writer's Guild of America strike.
The announcement came on Friday, July 28, almost three months into the WGA strike that began on May 2.
Available auction items range from props and collectables — such as a Spaceballs poster signed by Mel Brooks and Abbi Jacobson's blue bodycon dress from Broad City — to experiences with famous actors, like a curated New York dining experience with Succession's very own cousin Greg, Nicholas Braun, and, yes, that aforementioned private hang with Harrelson in Los Angeles.
Also available are Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse posters signed by producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, as well as a variety of handmade crafts by Seth Rogen, Lena Dunham and Justine Bateman.
Bidding ends on August 5. TUSC says more items and experiences will be auctioned off later that month.
Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. | https://www.star945.com/entertainment/private-hang-with/5BY2I5MKLRVOOYTCNUANITLWVU/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:28 | 0 | https://www.star945.com/entertainment/private-hang-with/5BY2I5MKLRVOOYTCNUANITLWVU/ |
After a month of record-breaking heat, are we past calling it a heat "wave?" NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Duke heat expert Ashley Ward.
Copyright 2023 NPR
After a month of record-breaking heat, are we past calling it a heat "wave?" NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Duke heat expert Ashley Ward.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.kasu.org/environment-infrastructure/environment-infrastructure/2023-07-28/dont-call-it-a-heat-wave-expert-weighs-in-after-a-month-of-record-breaking-heat | 2023-07-28T22:40:29 | 0 | https://www.kasu.org/environment-infrastructure/environment-infrastructure/2023-07-28/dont-call-it-a-heat-wave-expert-weighs-in-after-a-month-of-record-breaking-heat |
iPhone 15 Could Have an Action Button
An Action button may be on the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, according to a report.
Apple could be putting an Action button on your next iPhone. According to a report from MacRumors Wednesday, code in the fourth iOS 17 developer beta hints at functionality for an Action button on the next-gen iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models.
Apple introduced the Action button on the Apple Watch Ultra, and it allows you to run a preselected function or program when activated. On the Apple Watch Ultra, pressing the Action button can start a stopwatch or begin a workout without unlocking your device or navigating to an app.
The report said the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max could replace the Ring/Silent switch on the side of the iPhone. The Action button could have nine different functions. What each function would do is unclear, but the names of some of the functions, like Camera and Flashlight, indicate the Action button would likely be able to turn these features on and off.
Read more: iPhone 15 Pro Could See Longer Battery Life From New Chip Line
Apple has not announced any information about the next iPhone, but the company will likely unveil details of its next smartphone at the next iPhone event -- probably in September.
Apple did not immediately respond to CNET's request for comment.
For more, check out why the iPhone 15 might need a different charger, the 15 features we really want to see on the iPhone 15 and hidden features in iOS 17 you should know about. | https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/iphone-15-could-have-an-action-button/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:32 | 0 | https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/iphone-15-could-have-an-action-button/ |
Automakers are teaming up to build more fast charging stations in North America. Their stated goal is to build a network larger than Tesla's to help address a major concern for EV customers.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Automakers are teaming up to build more fast charging stations in North America. Their stated goal is to build a network larger than Tesla's to help address a major concern for EV customers.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.kasu.org/environment-infrastructure/environment-infrastructure/2023-07-28/major-automakers-are-teaming-up-to-launch-a-new-ev-charging-network-in-north-america | 2023-07-28T22:40:35 | 1 | https://www.kasu.org/environment-infrastructure/environment-infrastructure/2023-07-28/major-automakers-are-teaming-up-to-launch-a-new-ev-charging-network-in-north-america |
Suits may have only recently become available to watch on Netflix, but it's already made quite an impression.
The former USA Network series, which starred Meghan Markle for eight seasons, then ran for a ninth and final season after her character was written out, set a viewing time record for an acquired series in the week of June 26-July 2.
According to Nielsen, Suits had 3.14 billion minutes of watch time. This easily passes the former record of 2.49 billion minutes that was held by Manifest, back before the show became a Netflix original and still belonged to NBC.
Suits finished airing almost four years ago in September 2019. It became available on Netflix on June 23. The series is also available to watch on Peacock, and streams from that service contribute to its total viewing time record.
This huge number of streams for Suits beats out newer titles, like the debut of season 3 of The Witcher on Netflix, which came in second with 1.31 billion minutes of viewing, and The Bear on Hulu, which came in third with 1.01 billion minutes of viewing.
Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. | https://www.star945.com/entertainment/suits-sets-streaming/25AXLGD5CKCMLBECOVXYQ4CPNE/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:35 | 1 | https://www.star945.com/entertainment/suits-sets-streaming/25AXLGD5CKCMLBECOVXYQ4CPNE/ |
Judge dismisses lawsuit against federal agency in death of New Mexico officer
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit on Wednesday alleging the Department of Homeland Security was negligent in a drug bust that resulted in the first New Mexico State Police officer killed in the line of duty in over three decades.
U.S. District Judge Kea Riggs ruled that the government had sovereign immunity and its employees were using discretionary function in the Feb. 4, 2021, death of Darian Jarrott, 28, The Albuquerque Journal reported.
There were multiple lawsuits filed at the state and federal level regarding Jarrott’s death.
Jarrott, a father of four, was helping with a homeland security investigation when a suspect shot and killed him, according to the Journal.
The suspect shot Jarrott at a traffic stop during a car chase with authorities. That ended in a gunfight that injured another officer.
Homeland Security officials had made a plan to arrest the suspect for selling fentanyl and methamphetamine to an undercover agent, per the Journal.
An attorney representing Jarrott’s family said they had not yet decided their next steps, the newspaper reported.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kob.com/ap-new-mexico/judge-dismisses-lawsuit-against-federal-agency-in-death-of-new-mexico-officer/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:36 | 1 | https://www.kob.com/ap-new-mexico/judge-dismisses-lawsuit-against-federal-agency-in-death-of-new-mexico-officer/ |
Don't dwell on that continuity error, you can fix it in post. Submissions for the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival open on August 1 and you still need time for color grading!
Entering its 31st year, the SXSW Film & TV Festival hosts creators from around the world ready to debut high caliber productions, diverse new stories, and introduce exciting up-and-coming talent. During nine days of festival screenings, SXSW registrants gain access inside the Film & TV industry with Conference programming, Red Carpets, Screening Q&As, networking events, and more.
Premiere your feature film, short, TV or XR project in front of press, industry, and enthusiastic audiences at SXSW 2024 from March 8-16 in Austin, TX. From risk-taking documentaries to innovative narratives and prestige TV series to provocative after-dark features, there's a screening category for every project! Polish up those credits and get ready to start exporting.
Submit Your Film
Explore the Film & TV Festival Submissions page for more information on screening categories, and premiere status and eligibility.
Mark your calendars with important submission deadlines below and read through the FAQs to ensure you're ready to submit!
Inspiration Smashcut
Relive nine days of premieres, exclusive interviews, and red carpets with the 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Rewind. Plus, rewatch your favorite Keynotes, Featured Sessions, Screening Q&As, and more on our YouTube Channel.
Not sure if this is the festival to premiere at? Take a look back at SXSW History, the Film & TV Festival Archive and Iconic Moments to discover how Austin, TX was a stop for numerous award-winning films and television series just like yours. | https://www.sxsw.com/film/2023/premiere-at-the-sxsw-2024-film-tv-festival-submissions/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:40 | 0 | https://www.sxsw.com/film/2023/premiere-at-the-sxsw-2024-film-tv-festival-submissions/ |
The countdown is on for the in-person return of Birmingham Freedom Fest. The celebration of heritage in the heart of the city’s civil rights district comes back this Saturday, July 29 as part of Forging Justice, the city’s commemoration of 60 years since the 1963 Birmingham campaign for civil and human rights.
Saturday’s day-long Freedom Fest is divided into two parts. The first half of the day will include a morning of empowerment sessions or free speaker sessions and panels centered around business, history, and culture. The second half of the day is a ticketed music festival featuring artists from around the country, including Ruben Studdard, Jidenna, and Big K.R.I.T.
Planning to head to Birmingham Freedom Fest? Here’s a quick guide to tickets and event times.
THE BASICS
When: The empowerment sessions kick off at 10:00 a.m. The gates to the music festival will open at 1:00 p.m. and the performers start at 3:00 p.m.
Where: The events at Birmingham Freedom Fest will take place at three locations in the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. The empowerment sessions will be at 16th Street Baptist Church (1530 6th Ave N, Birmingham) and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (520 16th St N, Birmingham). The music festival will be at Kelly Ingram Park (500 17th St N, Birmingham).
Admission: The empowerment sessions are free and open to the public. The musical festival is $20.00. Tickets are available to purchase through tix.com on the Birmingham Freedom Fest website.
THE SCHEDULE
Empowerment sessions: The empowerment sessions start at 10:00 a.m. inside 16th Street Baptist Church. One afternoon session will be at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. The panels will cover a number of topics including the 60th commemoration of the Birmingham Civil Rights Campaign, the history of Black athletes, entertainment, financial education, and the celebration of 50 Years of Hip-Hop.
Music Festival: The music festival is in Kelly Ingram Park. The gates to the festival open at 1:00 pm and music performances kick off at 3:00 p.m. starting with a tribute to the 60th commemoration of the Birmingham civil rights campaign. Saturday’s musical acts will run past 9:00 p.m. with performances by Ruben Studdard, Translee, Deqn Sue and Kelvin Wooten, and Jidenna. Big K.R.I.T will headline this year’s festival.
Here’s a schedule of the lineup so far:
1:00 p.m.: Gates Open
3:00 p.m.: Opening Tribute and 60th Commemoration of the Birmingham Civil Rights Campaign
3:30 p.m.: Dre Murro
4:15 p.m.: Halo Wheeler
5:00 p.m.: Translee
6:00 p.m.: Deqn Sue and Kelvin Wooten
7:00 p.m. : Aretta Woodruff
8:00 p.m. : Jidenna
9:00 p.m.: Big K.R.I.T | https://www.al.com/life/2023/07/freedom-fest-2023-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-birmingham-culture-and-music-festival.html | 2023-07-28T22:40:40 | 1 | https://www.al.com/life/2023/07/freedom-fest-2023-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-birmingham-culture-and-music-festival.html |
Marine scientists say record ocean temperatures have sparked widespread coral bleaching in the Florida Keys. The extreme heat and bleaching have been deadly — killing all coral on one popular reef.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Marine scientists say record ocean temperatures have sparked widespread coral bleaching in the Florida Keys. The extreme heat and bleaching have been deadly — killing all coral on one popular reef.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.kasu.org/environment-infrastructure/environment-infrastructure/2023-07-28/scientists-fight-to-help-protect-the-florida-coral-thats-dying-from-heat | 2023-07-28T22:40:41 | 0 | https://www.kasu.org/environment-infrastructure/environment-infrastructure/2023-07-28/scientists-fight-to-help-protect-the-florida-coral-thats-dying-from-heat |
Cannon Air Force Base to lose personnel in Special Ops base shift
4 Investigates has confirmed the U.S. Air Force plans to move personnel from Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, New Mexico as it restructures where highly specialized units are housed within the U.S. system of military bases.
Cannon will be impacted by what the Air Force calls “programmatic basing decisions” for its Special Operations Wings. The Eastern New Mexico base is one of two domestic Air Force bases that house special ops wings, the other being Hurlburt Field in Florida’s panhandle.
“Members of the New Mexico Congressional delegation were briefed today by the secretary of the Air Force,” said Lt. Col. Becky Heyse of Air Force Special Operations Command. She did not offer specifics about the move, saying those will come from the Air Force next week.
KOB contacted the offices of Sens. Heinrich and Luján, as well as the office of Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, who represents the 3rd Congressional District where Cannon is located. None of the delegation offered a comment.
A source familiar with the briefing told KOB that the impact is likely to be in the hundreds and perhaps not immediate. The base has between 5,000 and 6,000 active-duty service members, with thousands of family members and retired service members living in the immediate community.
“We are committed to Cannon Air Force Base,” said Heyse. “We plan to maintain a robust presence for the forseeable future.”
The Pensacola News Journal reported earlier this week that Florida Sen. Rick Scott and Rep. Matt Gaetz, whose congressional district houses Hurlburt Field, were concerned that the Air Force’s basing decisions could “drastically impact” Hurlburt Field, with Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona apparently likely to gain in the shift.
Heyse did not confirm where any personnel from Cannon (or Hurlburt) might be moved.
During the military’s Base Realignment and Closure process in 2005, New Mexico political leaders went all-out in an effort to save Cannon Air Force Base from what they viewed as a likely closure. The placement of the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon was a huge win for the state, as Republicans and Democrats banded together to keep the Air Force from shuttering the facility.
“This is not that,” said Heyse of the impact of the basing decisions.
KOB will update this story if further details become available. | https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/cannon-air-force-base-to-lose-personnel-in-special-ops-base-shift/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:43 | 0 | https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/cannon-air-force-base-to-lose-personnel-in-special-ops-base-shift/ |
Beyoncé is launching a new collection with Tiffany & Co., coinciding with the one-year anniversary of her latest album, Renaissance.
The limited edition Return to Tiffany x Beyoncé Collection, according to Variety, features the jewelry brand's signature "return to Tiffany" pendants reimagined with the horse from the Renaissance artwork, as well as other designs inspired by the album and its ongoing tour.
The collection marks a continuation of Bey's partnership with the luxury brand aka the official jeweler of the Renaissance World Tour. Profits will benefit the About Love Scholarship program — a partnership between Tiffany & Co., BeyGOOD Foundation and the Shawn Carter Foundation — building on the $2 million pledged toward providing scholarships to students in arts and creative fields at Lincoln University, Norfolk State University, Bennett College, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Central State University.
All aforementioned schools are historically Black colleges and universities, or HBCUs.
Bey's Renaissance spawned the singles "Break My Soul" and "Cuff It," with no music videos released. Her world tour in support of the album is making its way to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey for shows taking place July 29 and 30.
Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. | https://www.star945.com/news/beyonc-celebrates/KHLUAALRJXLFFMW6ANVGLN5RKM/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:42 | 1 | https://www.star945.com/news/beyonc-celebrates/KHLUAALRJXLFFMW6ANVGLN5RKM/ |
An Alabama man convicted of capital murder in the brutal 1999 murders of two high school seniors in the Wiregrass has been denied his request for a new trial.
Dale County Circuit Judge William “Bill” Filmore on Thursday entered his order denying 49-year-old Coley McCraney’s request. The judge did not give any reason for the denial.
Attorneys for McCraney had requested the new trial citing jury misconduct and the possible use jurors using cell phones during the trial.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall on Friday responded to the judge’s ruling.
“I am proud to live in a state that has zero tolerance for those who callously take the lives of others,” said Marshall said. “In Alabama, we will never give up our relentless pursuit of justice for victims and their families.”
Marshall served as the lead prosecutor at McCraney’s trial earlier this year.
McCraney – who lived his life crime-free and built a family in the 20 years following the murders - was convicted in April of four counts of capital murder in the shooting deaths of Tracie Hawlett and J.B. Beasley.
The convictions were for two counts of capital murder-vehicle, one count of capital murder-rape, and capital murder of two or more persons.
Filmore in June sentenced McCraney to life without parole, which followed the recommendation of the jury. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty.
In their motion for a new trial, the defense attorneys contend the court erred when it allowed at least two jurors to remain in the jury pool even after they said should there be a penalty phase, they would start at voting for death and would require the defense to move them from the death penalty to life without parole.
Also, the attorneys said, two of the jurors were posting on their Facebook page accounts during the trial and one of them was actually posting to the social media site during actual deliberations.
“Facebook was saturated with information about this trial and could not have been accessed during the duration of said trial without seeing posts specifically about this trial,’’ the attorneys wrote.
Another juror was seen texting, scrolling and/or generally operating a smart watch throughout the duration of the trial, the motion states.
Additionally, during deliberations, the jury sent questions to the court including an inquiry about a “Brady Violation” indicating that the jury was researching and/or relying on outside information which was a direct violation of the judge’s instructions.
McCraney was arrested for the slayings in 2019 after authorities say a DNA match was found through a family DNA website in a genealogy search.
The murders of the girls’ haunted the Wiregrass region for decades and been given national exposure on television networks throughout the years.
The friends, both 17, were on their way home from Beasley’s birthday party when they got lost in Ozark on July 31, 1999.
According to Hawlett’s mother, Carole Roberts, the girls had been lost and could not understand the directions they were given before stopping at a convenience store in Ozark. They had been on their way home from a party in Headland.
The girls were found the next day inside the trunk of Beasley’s black Mazda 929, on the side of Herring Avenue about one block away from the Dale County hospital.
Both girls had each been shot once to the head, but there were no other signs of foul play. The girls’ jewelry, purses and money were not missing and state forensics experts at the time said neither girl had been raped.
Within a week, police announced a nationwide, 24-hour hotline to received tips and a reward fund quickly grew to $15,000 in donations from area residents. Then-Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman announce another $10,000 in state funds.
In the years immediately after the killing, investigators conducted more than 500 interviews, overworked forensics experts and tested the DNA of more than 70 potential suspects.
At the time of McCraney’s 2019 arrest, Police Chief Marlos Walker said the 2018 arrest of the alleged Golden State Killer through use of a genealogy and DNA database sparked the chain of events that led to the break in the Alabama cold case.
The department reached out to Parabon NanoLabs in Virginia, which specializes in DNA engineering.
Police said they started the process in August 2018, and it culminated in the arrest of Coley McCraney, a truck driver who spent some time in the military and has led a crime-free, low-profile life up until the time he was taken into custody.
McCraney took the stand in his own defense during the week-long trial.
WDHN reported that McCraney testified that he had consensual sex with Beasley.
He said they had previously met her at the Wiregrass Commons Mall almost two months prior to the murders, and the two planned to meet at the Ozark gas station at 10 p.m. on July 31, 1999.
When Beasley was late, he said he went to his mother’s house to wait on a call from Beasley but never received one.
McCraney says after leaving his mother’s house at around 11:30 p.m. to head home, his alternator gave out and the car broke down at the same gas station where he finally saw Beasley and Hawlett at a pay phone, the television station reported.
After talking to Beasley for a few minutes, he got in her car and gave the girls directions to Highway 231, after which they stopped at another gas station next to the highway where his semi-truck was parked, where he and Beasley had sex in the cab of his truck.
McCraney testified that after he and Beasley had consensual sex, the girls drove him to his house at around 12:45 a.m. and they went their separate ways. | https://www.al.com/news/2023/07/coley-mccraney-denied-new-trial-in-1999-murders-of-alabama-teens.html | 2023-07-28T22:40:46 | 0 | https://www.al.com/news/2023/07/coley-mccraney-denied-new-trial-in-1999-murders-of-alabama-teens.html |
Prosecutors have decided not to go forward in the capital murder case against Casey White – whose escape from Lauderdale County jail last year led to a nationwide manhunt.
In a motion filed Friday, Lauderdale County District Attorney Chris Connolly said that since White is serving a life sentence for a felony murder conviction relating to the escape, there is no need to pursue a capital murder conviction.
Connolly has already said that prosecutors would not seek the death penalty for White. If convicted, White would be sentenced to life in prison without the chance for parole.
The capital murder case involves the 2015 slaying of Connie Ridgeway of Rogersville. The trial was set to begin Aug. 14.
In the one-page motion, Connolly listed multiple reasons for not pursuing the case – though he reserved the right to reinstate the charges against White.
- White, who will turn 40 next month, will not be eligible for parole until 2081 – at which point he would be 98 years old.
- The trial would require “expenditure of significant state resources.”
- Ridgeway’s murder remains under investigation and other people may be found to have been involved.
- Ridgeway’s adult children, Austin and Cameron Williams, supported not going forward with the trial.
Lauderdale County Circuit Judge Benjamin Graves has not yet ruled on the motion.
“Austin and Cameron support the decision to suspend the prosecution at this time,” Connolly said in a news release. “Suspending the prosecution of Casey White will allow investigators additional time to complete their investigation and will preserve state resources. In the meantime, Casey White is right where he belongs in Donaldson prison.”
White escaped from Lauderdale County jail in April 2022. He was being held in the jail in connection with Ridgeway’s murder. His escape was facilitated by jail officer Vicky White (no relation).
The two were on the run for nine days before Casey White was captured in Evansville, Indiana. Vicky White took her own life by shooting herself in the head as law enforcement closed in for the capture.
In June, Casey White pleaded guilty to felony murder in connection with Vicky White’s death and sentenced to life in prison. Prior to the life sentence, White was already serving a 75-year prison term for an array of felony convictions relating to a 2015 crime spree.
Updated today, July 28, 2023, at 5:05 p.m. with comment from Connolly. | https://www.al.com/news/2023/07/prosecutors-drop-capital-murder-case-against-casey-white.html | 2023-07-28T22:40:47 | 0 | https://www.al.com/news/2023/07/prosecutors-drop-capital-murder-case-against-casey-white.html |
As people search for outdoor activities to fill their summer days, Dr. Amit Momaya, a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon at UAB, advises those checking out e-bikes and e-scooters to drive carefully.
“Over the last two years or so, we’ve seen a large uptick in injuries from these e-scooters and e-bikes,” Momaya said.
While teenagers who are out of school for the summer do frequently use the devices, Momaya said it is actually older generations who are more at risk for injury.
“On average I think it’s usually kind of middle-aged people who get back on these things who probably rode their bike or scooter way back when they were young and then think it’s fun to get on these things,” he said. “The problem is these things can go a lot faster than people realize and they’re used to just kind of stopping themselves by putting their foot down.
“And they’re used to neighborhood traffic versus like urban areas where there’s cars and traffic you’ve got to avoid. And so, we’ve seen a lot of injuries over the last two years from these.” | https://www.al.com/news/2023/07/uab-surgeon-cautions-against-the-dangers-of-e-bikes-and-e-scooters.html | 2023-07-28T22:40:47 | 0 | https://www.al.com/news/2023/07/uab-surgeon-cautions-against-the-dangers-of-e-bikes-and-e-scooters.html |
PHOENIX — The backup Uber driver for a self-driving vehicle that killed a pedestrian in suburban Phoenix in 2018 pleaded guilty Friday to endangerment in the first fatal collision involving a fully autonomous car.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge David Garbarino, who accepted the plea agreement, sentenced Rafaela Vasquez, 49, to three years of supervised probation for the crash that killed 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg. Vasquez told police that Herzberg "came out of nowhere" and that she didn't see Herzberg before the March 18, 2018, collision on a darkened Tempe street.
Vasquez had been charged with negligent homicide, a felony. She pleaded guilty to an undesignated felony, meaning it could be reclassified as a misdemeanor if she completes probation.
Authorities say Vasquez was streaming the television show "The Voice" on a phone and looking down in the moments before Uber's Volvo XC-90 SUV struck Herzberg, who was crossing with her bicycle.
Vasquez's attorneys said she was was looking at a messaging program used by Uber employees on a work cellphone that was on her right knee. They said the TV show was playing on her personal cellphone, which was on the passenger seat.
Defense attorney Albert Jaynes Morrison told Garbarino that Uber should share some blame for the collision as he asked the judge to sentence Vasquez to six months of unsupervised probation.
"There were steps that Uber failed to take," he said. By putting Vasquez in the vehicle without a second employee, he said. "It was not a question of if but when it was going to happen."
Prosecutors previously declined to file criminal charges against Uber, as a corporation. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded Vasquez's failure to monitor the road was the main cause of the crash.
"The defendant had one job and one job only," prosecutor Tiffany Brady told the judge. "And that was to keep her eyes in the road."
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a statement after the hearing that her office believes the sentence was appropriate "based on the mitigating and aggravating factors."
The contributing factors cited by the NTSB included Uber's inadequate safety procedures and ineffective oversight of its drivers, Herzberg's decision to cross the street outside of a crosswalk and the Arizona Department of Transportation's insufficient oversight of autonomous vehicle testing.
The board also concluded Uber's deactivation of its automatic emergency braking system increased the risks associated with testing automated vehicles on public roads. Instead of the system, Uber relied on the human backup driver to intervene.
It was not the first crash involving an Uber autonomous test vehicle. In March 2017, an Uber SUV flipped onto its side, also in Tempe when it collided with another vehicle. No serious injuries were reported, and the driver of the other car was cited for a violation.
Herzberg's death was the first involving an autonomous test vehicle but not the first in a car with some self-driving features. The driver of a Tesla Model S was killed in 2016 when his car, operating on its Autopilot system, crashed into a semitrailer in Florida.
Nine months after Herzberg's death, in December 2019, two people were killed in California when a Tesla on Autopilot ran a red light, slammed into another car. That driver was charged in 2022 with vehicular manslaughter in what was believed to be the first felony case against a motorist who was using a partially automated driving system.
In Arizona, the Uber system detected Herzberg 5.6 seconds before the crash. But it failed to determine whether she was a bicyclist, pedestrian or unknown object, or that she was headed into the vehicle's path, the board said.
The backup driver was there to take over the vehicle if systems failed.
The death reverberated throughout the auto industry and Silicon Valley and forced other companies to slow what had been a fast march toward autonomous ride-hailing services. Uber pulled its self-driving cars out of Arizona, and then-Gov. Doug Ducey prohibited the company from continuing its tests of self-driving cars.
Vasquez had previously spent more than four years in prison for two felony convictions — making false statements when obtaining unemployment benefits and attempted armed robbery — before starting work as an Uber driver, according to court records.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kasu.org/money-economy/2023-07-28/backup-driver-of-an-autonomous-uber-pleads-guilty-to-endangerment-in-pedestrian-death | 2023-07-28T22:40:48 | 1 | https://www.kasu.org/money-economy/2023-07-28/backup-driver-of-an-autonomous-uber-pleads-guilty-to-endangerment-in-pedestrian-death |
Judge blasts prosecutors’ handling of Venezuela case against ex-Miami congressman
MIAMI (AP) — A federal judge in Miami on Friday blasted prosecutors for an apparent attempt to disavow a court order and take control of a oceanside condo belonging to a former Republican Congressman ahead of a high-profile trial connected to a $50 million consulting contract with Venezuela’s socialist government.
When David Rivera and an associate were charged last November with money laundering and acting as unregistered foreign agents for President Nicolás Maduro’s government, prosecutors obtained a judge’s order freezing around $24 million from banking and brokerage accounts as well as Florida properties that they said were the product of ill-gotten gains.
Prosecutors also blocked eight more properties belonging to Rivera and his associate in Florida and Georgia that, while unrelated to criminal activity, would likely be seized if the two are found guilty.
This month, in a harshly worded ruling, Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres said that the government had no right to take the “innocent” Florida assets without a conviction. Rather than lift the restraining order, the government then asked the court to reconsider and said that it had since determined that three of the properties — including a condo that Rivera and his wife purchased in 2019 for $301,000 in New Smyrna Beach, Florida — could also be traced to the defendants’ alleged lobbying on behalf of Maduro’s government.
Judge Darrin Gayles on Friday expressed frustration with the government’s change in strategy.
“This reeks of gamesmanship,” said Gayles, who reversed his own sealed order of a week ago granting prosecutors’ request that the real estate properties once again be frozen. “It seems like the government simply filed this because it lost.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nalina Sombuntham said prosecutors first learned from investigators that the property could be directly “tainted” by Rivera’s consulting work with Venezuela in May or June but didn’t alert the court until July 14 — a week after Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres issued his 23-page order freeing up the properties.
Gayles, who is overseeing the criminal case, was unimpressed. “It seems like you’re wasting the court’s time,” he said.
Rivera has been marred by scandals stretching back to his days in Congress from 2011 to 2013. He was arrested late last year on an eight-count criminal indictment alleging that at the start of the Trump administration he was part of a conspiracy to lobby on behalf of Venezuela to lower tensions with the U.S., resolve a legal dispute with a U.S. oil company and end U.S. sanctions against the South American nation — all without registering as a foreign agent.
As part of that effort, he arranged meetings in Washington, New York and Dallas for allies of Maduro with U.S. lawmakers and a top aide to former President Donald Trump, according to the indictment. To hide the sensitive nature of his work, prosecutors allege Rivera referred to Maduro in chat messages as the “bus driver,” a congressman as “Sombrero” and millions of dollars as “melons.”
Court records show Rivera’s consulting work was closely coordinated with Raúl Gorrín, a Venezuelan insider and media tycoon who has himself been sanctioned and indicted in the U.S. on money laundering charges. Part of the more than $20 million that Rivera was alleged to have received from Venezuela was used to pay maintenance on one of Gorrin’s yachts, according to prosecutors.
Rivera maintains that Gorrín was his attorney in Venezuela and that all of his work was conducted on behalf of PDV USA — a Delaware-based affiliate of Venezuelan-owned Citgo — and didn’t require he register as a foreign agent.
The dispute over Rivera’s assets has slowed the government’s prosecution of the high-profile case. Eight months after being charged, Rivera has yet to be formally arraigned — normally a routine procedural step — because he said he needs access to the disputed assets to pay his attorneys.
Rivera’s attorneys in filings have accused prosecutors of waging a “scorched earth attack” against the south Florida GOP stalwart who once shared an apartment in Tallahassee with now Sen. Marco Rubio when both were state lawmakers.
“They lost, they got caught and they came to this court and it is wrong,” David Oscar Markus, an attorney for Rivera’s co-defendant Esther Nuhfer said.
Rivera was triumphant following Friday’s hearing, accusing the prosecutors of “misconduct.” Judge Gayles was more restrained, making no such finding of wrongdoing even as he questioned prosecutors’ actions.
“Today’s decision shows that there are still honorable judges in America who will not tolerate misconduct from dishonest government prosecutors,” Rivera wrote The Associated Press in a text message. “Another victory for truth and justice.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Florida didn’t immediately comment.
—
Follow Goodman on Twitter: @APJoshGoodman
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kob.com/news/business-money/judge-blasts-prosecutors-handling-of-venezuela-case-against-ex-miami-congressman/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:49 | 1 | https://www.kob.com/news/business-money/judge-blasts-prosecutors-handling-of-venezuela-case-against-ex-miami-congressman/ |
Attacks against postal carriers are up, and so are mail thefts. The U.S. Postal Service has a new safety plan, but is it strong enough? This is occurring as the USPS tries to recruit more workers.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Attacks against postal carriers are up, and so are mail thefts. The U.S. Postal Service has a new safety plan, but is it strong enough? This is occurring as the USPS tries to recruit more workers.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wvasfm.org/business/business/2023-07-28/with-a-rise-in-robberies-of-postal-carriers-its-a-dangerous-time-to-work-in-mail | 2023-07-28T22:40:53 | 0 | https://www.wvasfm.org/business/business/2023-07-28/with-a-rise-in-robberies-of-postal-carriers-its-a-dangerous-time-to-work-in-mail |
PHOENIX — The backup Uber driver for a self-driving vehicle that killed a pedestrian in suburban Phoenix in 2018 pleaded guilty Friday to endangerment in the first fatal collision involving a fully autonomous car.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge David Garbarino, who accepted the plea agreement, sentenced Rafaela Vasquez, 49, to three years of supervised probation for the crash that killed 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg. Vasquez told police that Herzberg "came out of nowhere" and that she didn't see Herzberg before the March 18, 2018, collision on a darkened Tempe street.
Vasquez had been charged with negligent homicide, a felony. She pleaded guilty to an undesignated felony, meaning it could be reclassified as a misdemeanor if she completes probation.
Authorities say Vasquez was streaming the television show "The Voice" on a phone and looking down in the moments before Uber's Volvo XC-90 SUV struck Herzberg, who was crossing with her bicycle.
Vasquez's attorneys said she was was looking at a messaging program used by Uber employees on a work cellphone that was on her right knee. They said the TV show was playing on her personal cellphone, which was on the passenger seat.
Defense attorney Albert Jaynes Morrison told Garbarino that Uber should share some blame for the collision as he asked the judge to sentence Vasquez to six months of unsupervised probation.
"There were steps that Uber failed to take," he said. By putting Vasquez in the vehicle without a second employee, he said. "It was not a question of if but when it was going to happen."
Prosecutors previously declined to file criminal charges against Uber, as a corporation. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded Vasquez's failure to monitor the road was the main cause of the crash.
"The defendant had one job and one job only," prosecutor Tiffany Brady told the judge. "And that was to keep her eyes in the road."
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a statement after the hearing that her office believes the sentence was appropriate "based on the mitigating and aggravating factors."
The contributing factors cited by the NTSB included Uber's inadequate safety procedures and ineffective oversight of its drivers, Herzberg's decision to cross the street outside of a crosswalk and the Arizona Department of Transportation's insufficient oversight of autonomous vehicle testing.
The board also concluded Uber's deactivation of its automatic emergency braking system increased the risks associated with testing automated vehicles on public roads. Instead of the system, Uber relied on the human backup driver to intervene.
It was not the first crash involving an Uber autonomous test vehicle. In March 2017, an Uber SUV flipped onto its side, also in Tempe when it collided with another vehicle. No serious injuries were reported, and the driver of the other car was cited for a violation.
Herzberg's death was the first involving an autonomous test vehicle but not the first in a car with some self-driving features. The driver of a Tesla Model S was killed in 2016 when his car, operating on its Autopilot system, crashed into a semitrailer in Florida.
Nine months after Herzberg's death, in December 2019, two people were killed in California when a Tesla on Autopilot ran a red light, slammed into another car. That driver was charged in 2022 with vehicular manslaughter in what was believed to be the first felony case against a motorist who was using a partially automated driving system.
In Arizona, the Uber system detected Herzberg 5.6 seconds before the crash. But it failed to determine whether she was a bicyclist, pedestrian or unknown object, or that she was headed into the vehicle's path, the board said.
The backup driver was there to take over the vehicle if systems failed.
The death reverberated throughout the auto industry and Silicon Valley and forced other companies to slow what had been a fast march toward autonomous ride-hailing services. Uber pulled its self-driving cars out of Arizona, and then-Gov. Doug Ducey prohibited the company from continuing its tests of self-driving cars.
Vasquez had previously spent more than four years in prison for two felony convictions — making false statements when obtaining unemployment benefits and attempted armed robbery — before starting work as an Uber driver, according to court records.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-28/backup-driver-of-an-autonomous-uber-pleads-guilty-to-endangerment-in-pedestrian-death | 2023-07-28T22:40:53 | 1 | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-28/backup-driver-of-an-autonomous-uber-pleads-guilty-to-endangerment-in-pedestrian-death |
One day after Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow went down during practice with what looked to be an injury to his lower right leg, head coach Zac Taylor gave a brief update about his status on Friday afternoon.
Taylor confirmed Burrow had a calf strain and will be out a few weeks. He wouldn't answer when asked whether the recovery would bleed into the regular season.
Zac Taylor confirms Joe Burrow has a calf strain and will miss a few weeks pic.twitter.com/tj1MQgmgTr
— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) July 28, 2023
Burrow was carted off during Day 2 of Bengals training camp after he pulled up while running. He already had his right calf in a sleeve, and it's still not known whether it was bothering him before practice began.
Joe Burrow pulls up with a lower right leg injury. pic.twitter.com/XTDHwG7klD
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) July 27, 2023
Alarm bells typically go off anytime "Joe Burrow" and "carted off" are in the same sentence, so the concern after practice on Thursday was on the severity of the injury. For Taylor, it wasn't serious enough for him to say anything to the team about it.
"There's no message, this is football," Taylor said. "Guys go down with an injury that maybe is a day thing, who knows? We don't message to the team after every single person goes down."
Burrow's longtime teammate JaMarr Chase also checked in with Burrow after the injury, and said that his QB was going to be fine.
"We always give each other that nod," Chase said. "He gave me a nod he's all right. He's a strong dude."
Taylor only spoke about Burrow for maybe 10 seconds on Friday, but the general vibe from him and the rest of the team isn't panic. Since training camp just started, there's no better time to have an injury like this. Burrow can rest the calf for a few weeks and jump into prep once he's ready (though maybe not literally). | https://www.star945.com/news/national/bengals-qb-joe/JEO4ULJHMMUO24LKGFKLYTFUPA/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:52 | 0 | https://www.star945.com/news/national/bengals-qb-joe/JEO4ULJHMMUO24LKGFKLYTFUPA/ |
A visibly confused Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., appeared to lose track of the proceedings of a Senate subcommittee hearing Thursday, prompting an awkward exchange with another senator during a routine roll call.
The Senate Appropriations Committee met Thursday morning to discuss a range of bills, including Congress’ proposed $823 billion annual defense budget. About an hour into the hearing, the chair of the subcommittee, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., asked for a “vote to report the defense appropriations bill favorably, subject to amendment.” She motioned for a roll call vote, at which point the clerk called Feinstein’s name first. But instead of casting her vote, Feinstein initially began to give a speech in support of the budget.
After the clerk called Feinstein’s name, an aide huddled next to the senator, whispering instructions to her. Murray can also clearly be heard telling Feinstein to “say aye,” but Feinstein responded, “Pardon me?” Murray repeated that Feinstein should “say aye, just say aye.” But Feinstein began reading off a piece of paper instead.
“I would like to support a ‘yes’ vote on this,” Feinstein said. “It provides $823 billion. That’s an increase of $26 billion for the Department of Defense, and it funds priorities submitted —”
Feinstein was cut off by the same aide, and Murray again requested she “say aye.” Feinstein finally notched an “aye” vote.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Feinstein attributed the clip, which went viral on Twitter, to the senator being “preoccupied” after a “chaotic” committee markup period.
“Trying to complete all of the appropriations bills before recess, the committee markup this morning was a little chaotic, constantly switching back and forth between statements, votes, and debate and the order of bills,” the spokesperson wrote. “The senator was preoccupied, didn’t realize debate had just ended and a vote was called. She started to give a statement, was informed it was a vote and then cast her vote.”
SFGATE asked Murray’s office why she was instructing another senator on how to vote, and if she believed Feinstein could still effectively do her job. Murray’s office only responded to the first question, writing, “Senator Feinstein began with remarks indicating her support for the bill, and Senator Murray was offering a reminder that committee members were on a roll call vote and not yet recognizing members who wanted to comment on any bill.”
Feinstein, who turned 90 last month, has faced questions about her mental decline and fitness to serve for years. Calls for her resignation have grown considerably in recent months, due to her lengthy absence from the Senate amid a series of medical issues.
According to a petition filed on July 17 by her daughter, Katherine Feinstein, Sen. Feinstein has incurred “significant medical expenses” that haven’t been reimbursed by the trustees of her deceased husband Richard Blum’s life insurance policy — for which Feinstein is currently the sole beneficiary. The trustees in question pushed back against the Feinsteins’ allegations. The trustees’ attorney provided a statement to SFGATE that they never denied medical expense reimbursement to the senator.
“We have not been presented with any evidence showing that Katherine Feinstein has power of attorney for her mother; nor has Katherine made it clear, either in this filing or directly to my clients, why a sitting United States senator would require someone to have power of attorney over her,” the attorney wrote, in part.
___
(c)2023 SFGate, San Francisco
Visit SFGate, San Francisco at www.sfgate.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. | https://www.al.com/news/2023/07/visibly-confused-dianne-feinstein-was-preoccupied-when-told-to-say-aye-staffers-say.html | 2023-07-28T22:40:53 | 1 | https://www.al.com/news/2023/07/visibly-confused-dianne-feinstein-was-preoccupied-when-told-to-say-aye-staffers-say.html |
Federal highway regulators have proposed new fuel economy standards that would require cars to improve their fuel economy by 2% every year, and light trucks by 4% each year, through 2032.
Environmental groups say the new rules are insufficiently ambitious, given the urgent need to fight climate change. The major automaker trade group says it's reviewing the proposal.
Under the proposed standards from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, fleet-wide fuel economy for new vehicles would be pushed close to 58 miles per gallon by 2032. That's up from the 49 mpg required by 2026 under the current iteration of the rules. (Because of how fuel economy is calculated for these regulations, the actual miles per gallon drivers would see on the road would be significantly lower, even for compliant vehicles.)
Automakers face hefty fees when they fall short of fuel economy requirements, which are known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, standards.
The proposal will be open for public comment for 60 days.
Rules come after EPA's ambitious push toward EVs
Vehicle fuel economy and emissions in the U.S. are regulated by three different bodies. California, a state with unique influence, sets increasingly stringent requirements that other states can choose to follow. The Environmental Protection Agency regulates vehicle emissions nationwide, including pollution and greenhouse gases. And NHTSA regulates fuel economy, with an original mandate of improving America's energy security by reducing reliance on oil.
At one point the three bodies coordinated to set shared standards, but they have since split back apart. But under the Biden administration, all three are pushing in the same general direction: EVs. Electric vehicles use no gasoline and have no tailpipe emissions, and even counting the emissions from manufacturing them and producing electricity, they are cleaner than similar hybrids, and significantly cleaner than conventional gas- and diesel-powered vehicles.
California is now pushing for 100% electric vehicles by 2035. As for the EPA, earlier this year it proposed standards for vehicle emissions that surprised the auto industry with their ambitious push toward electric vehicles. The EPA's standards, if approved, would result in electric vehicles making up 67% of new vehicle sales by 2032.
Currently, EVs make up just over 7% of sales. BloombergNEF recently projected they're on pace to hit 28% by 2026. That's rapid growth — but not on track to hit the EPA's target. Analysts have also found that even recent, significant announcements in charging infrastructure fall short of what a rapid transition to EVs would require.
Environmentalists and the EV industry largely celebrated the EPA's proposal, while the trade group representing legacy automakers has called the proposal "neither reasonable nor achievable."
As EVs increase, what about fuel economy?
The EPA rules were crafted so they would be essentially impossible to meet without producing zer0-emission vehicles. NHTSA's fuel economy standards, in contrast, have to be designed so they could be met just by making gas and diesel vehicles more efficient.
However, as manufacturers make more EVs, it will help them meet the fuel economy standards, which are calculated across a manufacturers' entire fleet.
Behind the new standards is a big question for the auto industry: how much money needs to be put into improving gas-powered vehicles if the future is mostly electric? Some automakers argue that money spent improving their gas-powered vehicles will just hamper their ability to switch to EVs. Currently, gas-powered vehicles are more profitable than electric ones for legacy automakers, and revenue from internal combustion vehicles is funding EV investments.
Environmental groups, meanwhile, say the industry needs to go electric and simultaneously make much greener gas-powered cars, given that gas-powered cars built today could drive for decades.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, while still parsing the rules, noted that it appears "at first glance" like NHTSA tried to align its standards with the EPA's standards. On the one hand, the Alliance has objected to those standards as unrealistic. On the other hand, the group does strongly prefer for the various standards to match up as much as possible.
Early feedback from environmental groups, meanwhile, argued NHTSA should push for faster improvements in gas-powered vehicles.
"Given the pace of technological change and urgent need to conserve energy, it's clear that these standards could be even more ambitious than NHTSA's proposal," Dave Cook, senior vehicles analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists' Clean Transportation Program, said in a statement.
Faster improvement for trucks
One element of the proposal has long been a focus for environmentalists: Stricter standards for trucks.
U.S. vehicles have gotten significantly more efficient over time. However, many of those gains were effectively erased as larger vehicles, like SUVs, replaced fuel-sipping sedans on America's roads.
Vehicle standards have helped drive that improved efficiency. But critics have noted that by having looser standards for larger vehicles, those same rules also contributed to the increase in SUVs and trucks.
The proposed new fuel economy standards would require SUVs and pick-ups to improve at a faster clip than smaller vehicles because there is "more room to improve" the fuel economy of larger vehicles, as NHTSA puts it — and because improved economy in those vehicles will have a disproportionate benefit given their popularity and the amount of fuel they consume.
Large, feature-packed, not-very-fuel-efficient trucks are a major money-driver for the Detroit 3. General Motors and Stellantis (formerly known as Fiat Chrysler) have each paid out more than $100 million in fees for CAFE non-compliance over the last six years, according to NHTSA's public data.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kasu.org/money-economy/2023-07-28/biden-administration-proposes-new-fuel-economy-standards-with-higher-bar-for-trucks | 2023-07-28T22:40:54 | 0 | https://www.kasu.org/money-economy/2023-07-28/biden-administration-proposes-new-fuel-economy-standards-with-higher-bar-for-trucks |
Judge refuses to dismiss lawsuit against Disney’s efforts to neutralize governing district takeover
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A judge in Florida on Friday refused to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Gov. Ron DeSantis appointees against Disney’s efforts to neutralize the governor’s takeover of Disney World’s governing district.
The judge in state court in Orlando denied Disney’s motion in the lawsuit that says the company wrongly stripped appointees of powers over design and construction at Disney World when it made agreements with predecessors, who were supporters.
The case is one of two lawsuits stemming from the takeover, which was retaliation for the company’s public opposition to the so-called Don’t Say Gay legislation championed by DeSantis and Republican lawmakers. In the other lawsuit, in federal court in Tallahassee, Disney says DeSantis violated the company’s free speech rights.
The governor has touted his yearlong feud with Disney in his run for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, often accusing the entertainment giant of being too “woke.” Disney has accused the governor of violating its First Amendment rights.
Attorneys for Disney had argued that any decision in state court would be moot since the Republican-controlled Legislature already has passed a law voiding agreements that the company made with a prior governing board made up of Disney supporters that gave design and construction powers to the company.
The entertainment giant had asked that the state court case be put on hold if it’s not dismissed until the federal lawsuit in Tallahassee was resolved since they covered the same ground and that lawsuit was filed first.
In that case, Disney sued DeSantis and his appointees to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District in an effort to stop the takeover, saying the governor was violating the company’s free speech and “weaponizing the power of government to punish private business.”
DeSantis wasn’t a party in the state court lawsuit.
The fight between DeSantis and Disney began last year after the company, facing significant pressure internally and externally, publicly opposed a state law banning classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades, a policy critics call “Don’t Say Gay.”
As punishment, DeSantis took over the district through legislation passed by Florida lawmakers and appointed a new board of supervisors to oversee municipal services for the sprawling theme parks and hotels. But before the new board came in, the company made agreements with previous oversight board members who were Disney supporters that stripped the new supervisors of their authority over design and construction.
In response, DeSantis and Florida lawmakers passed the legislation that repealed those agreements.
Disney announced in May that it was scrapping plans to build a new campus in central Florida and relocate 2,000 employees from Southern California to work in digital technology, finance and product development. Disney had planned to build the campus about 20 miles (30 kilometers) from the giant Walt Disney World theme park resort.
___
Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at @MikeSchneiderAP
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kob.com/news/business-money/judge-refuses-to-dismiss-lawsuit-against-disneys-efforts-to-neutralize-governing-district-takeover/ | 2023-07-28T22:40:55 | 1 | https://www.kob.com/news/business-money/judge-refuses-to-dismiss-lawsuit-against-disneys-efforts-to-neutralize-governing-district-takeover/ |